


Broken

by Kuromori (Charred_Ground), sumire (sometimesafangirl)



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: M/M, Middle Ages, Sequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-30
Updated: 2015-10-20
Packaged: 2018-02-27 11:46:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 64,469
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2691767
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Charred_Ground/pseuds/Kuromori, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sometimesafangirl/pseuds/sumire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to "Telam." This story takes place immediately after the events in the previous work, and the group lands in a world at the opposite end of the spectrum: a world where might and magic reign supreme.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Body

Today was definitely the day.

Kurogane had only felt the tug twice before this, and both of those feelings were too weak to be anything, but this one. This one was a strong, forceful pull that sent a burning pain through his body, as if someone had tied ropes to his arms and his legs and had tried to quarter him. 

There was also the distinct sound of the morning birds, a sound that he hadn't heard since the first day. They avoided him, and so his ears were deaf to their music. But this morning, several sat on the window ledge and chirped. He had been leaving the wooden shutters open at night because the sounds of the howling wolves and slight chill from the night wind were enough to keep his mind off the other pains that had become all too frequent.

As he rose from the bed, a hand moving to rub the back of his neck, those morning birds didn't flinch. They didn't even stop when he got up and walked to the window. The sky was clear. Clouds drifted and cast the occasional shadow on the ground. The trees barely moved in the wind, splashes of red, orange, yellow, and brown rustling. Nothing was different except for the birds' behavior, and when he looked directly at them, their chirping stopped and they flew off in the direction of the west forest. Perfect. At least he knew where not to look.

That burning tug was persistent, and Kurogane groaned a little as he pulled on clean clothes. The cotton rubbed against his raw skin and caused him to hiss a little, mostly out of discomfort and not out of any real pain. He had stopped feeling that long ago. But his skin was red and tender in places, an unfortunate side effect of being doused in fire while wearing his armor. It was annoying, but it would heal.

The more he procrastinated, the more urgently that pulling sensation felt, so he pulled on blackened armor, the buckles and straps pressing the cotton against his burned flesh, and he hissed again as he felt a piece of newly healed skin shift. He didn't have any duties today, and he likely wouldn't have any for a while given the outcome of the battle two days ago. The armies needed to regroup, and with the state he left the Western province's guard, they wouldn't be able to recover for weeks.

That suited him just fine. He could sacrifice one day to deal with the tugging sensation. He didn't need to heal as badly as he needed to be at the source of that tug before anyone else could notice. 

He walked slowly through the manor, his black armor making no sound despite his heavy footfalls. It only sounded when he wanted to be heard, and right now he didn't want the houseboy questioning him. He held his sword in one hand: a blackened blade that seemed to reject even the light that tried to reflect off its surface. He held his helmet in the other. Normally he would not wear such a twisted thing when just riding into the neighboring lands, but in this case, the demonic thing was necessary. He even made sure his horse was decked out in matching armor. If he was going for fear, this would be the way to do it. After all, none of the villagers would bother the Black Devil when he was fully armed, and he couldn't afford any delay.

The pulling sensation directed him south. He should have guessed that it would lead him past the stone circle and into the densest forest in the area. The tree cover here was thick, and light barely passed through the leaves. Even in winter when the trees were bare, their skeleton-branches reached up to the sky and seemed to absorb whatever sunlight could have made it to the forest floor. Or maybe it was just that every place seemed to reject the light when he neared.

When the tugging stopped, he dismounted and looked around. Birds flew into their nests and squirrels ran into their dens. That was when his eyes caught his prey. The two standing there, looking as they had when they left all that time ago. Well, that time for him, not for them. 

He pulled the his sword off his back, the blade catching a lone ray of sunlight, absorbing all but the barest glint that hit the very sharp edge that he now nearly pressed into the older man's throat. He wouldn't hurt him, yet. He should have been surprised that the other hadn't noticed his presence, but then again, why would he expect it in a place like this? 

"K..Kurosama?" The man's voice betrayed his confusion. 

He kept the blade where it was, but he lifted his other hand to open the visor on his helmet so the others could get a good look at the face behind the demon. He said nothing, but he frowned and kept his blade up to the man's throat. Hardened eyes scanned his face before he looked at the boy. Just as he thought. They had come immediately here. There was no change in time, so for them, this would be moments after leaving the witch's shop. For them, he could be a different man from a different realm. Soon enough they would notice that he hadn't actually landed with him, and so he remained silent and waited for that moment. 

"Faisan!" Syaoran’s forward movement was halted by Fai’s raised hand. The boy coiled back into himself, his body ready and taut as he eyed the blade at the blonde’s throat. Then, he took in the wielder for the first time. It had been hard to see beyond the armor's devil façade but he knew man inside it. At least he knew some version of the man there. Kurogane always had hard expressions and distant eyes, but beyond all that there was an awkward sort of kindness, a warmth for those he cared about. The eyes that currently regarded Fai held no such thing. They were cold, like he didn’t know the person whose flesh he pressed against with that steel. It couldn’t have been the same man, Kurogane, their Kurogane, would never hold a blade to Fai’s throat? Right? 

Fai closed his eyes, feeling the blade press harder as swallowed around it. He would take this one situation at a time, and he would admit that his current predicament didn’t allow for the clearest of thoughts. "Not the warmest of welcomes."

Kurogane continued to hold the blade to the mage's throat, his expression completely devoid of emotion as he looked at the other man. But this was a crucial moment. Here, in the forest beyond the stones, where they weren't watched. If no one interfered, then he could deal with this as he saw fit, and right now he knew he only had maybe a day to get this done.

"No magic." He said, pulling the blade away only enough to take the pressure off the other man's flesh. He had been extremely careful not to cut the skin in any of this. After all, spilling blood wasn't in the agenda today. "Use magic, and you die."

With the sword away from his throat Fai took in the other man, his eyes narrow and cool as they regarded what was possibly this world's Kurogane. However, that thought didn't feel right. Their Kurogane was nowhere to be seen, and if the ninja had been, Fai highly doubted this demon knight would still be standing in front of him. This one, this man with dead red eyes felt familiar, but all of Fai's instincts were screaming for him to run away, to hide like those animals and wait for this person to pass. But it wasn't out of fear, Fai had too much experience and pride for something like that. This feeling was more of a wish to escape the way this man looked at him, the way he used Kurogane's face to regard him with such animosity, it made Fai's stomach start to knot. "Alright, no magic," Fai said cautiously, raising his hands in the air. "How about you let us know where we are in exchange?" He wasn’t in a position to make demands, but he wanted answers.

Kurogane watched the mage for a moment, still holding that blade close enough so that one quick movement would end any arguments. "Your exchange for not using your magic is your life and his life." He nodded to the boy, but kept his eyes on the mage, narrowing them slightly in challenge. Did the other man want to call his bluff right now? Would he think that he was capable of killing them? Did it matter? Before anything else could be said, he whistled once. A short, piercing sound. Beyond some trees, there was the snort of response as his steed came through that line of foliage. All black and angry, just like his master. Kurogane kept his gaze on the mage even as he half turned his head towards the kid. "On that beast's saddle is a coil with two short lengths of rope. Bring it here and tie this one's hands behind his back."

Syaoran looked between ‘Kurogane’ and Fai. He didn’t move at the armored man’s command, but he wasn’t sure if it was in confusion or a form of defiance. Though Fai’s careful nod of his head made him abandon any protest as gathered the coil. The steed stomped its hoof and twisted his head wildly as he the boy dug through the pack until his fingers closed upon the twine like rope. He sighed, looking over his shoulder at the two of them before turning his body around to walk over. Fai had already moved his hands behind his back for the boy, doing everything he could to make it easier for him. 

"Just so you know knightsan," Fai said. "If you harm the boy in anyway, I won’t hesitate." For now the mage would treat this man as a legitimate threat. Identity issues would be dealt with later.

Kurogane watched the boy tie the other man's arms behind his back, waiting until it was done before he pulled the blade back and slid it back into the sheath strapped on his back. He ignored the mage's threat as he took the other coil of rope from the boy, and as he walked behind him, he pulled his arms behind his back and began to tie his wrists together.

Syaoran opened his mouth to speak, but at the slightest hint of sound, there was a tug against the ropes. He frowned a little and turned his head to look at 'Kurogane.' He looked and acted brutal, but the way he had tied his wrists, there was nothing even remotely painful about it, as though the man was making sure not to hurt him. 

Once both of them were tied, Kurogane shook his head a little and lifted the boy, settling him onto the horse. The animal snorted a little, but he rested his hand on his nose and looked into his eye. The only ones who really understood where this animal and the houseboy back at the manor, and for now it might be better to keep it that way. After he made sure the boy was settled, he walked to the mage and picked him up and settled him behind the kid. "Like I said, use magic and you die." He finally responded, grabbing the reins and gently tugging, causing the steed to move, but carefully as to not topple the two riders. The walk back to the manor would take the rest of the day, and possibly past sunset, but this was the easiest way. "Just keep your mouths shut if you see anyone."

Fai frowned deeply as the horse started to move and quietly studied Kurogane from the corner of his eyes. He took in his stride, his bearing, even to what side he appeared to favor of the other as he moved his arms. It was a dead match for their own Kurogane. A giveaway should have been that their ninja hadn’t shown up yet, which meant they got separated in the fall, which meant anything was possible. But… Fai blinked, something pulled at his mind. A small gentle pulse, a power that was slight but echoed of something grand. He could feel it as one might test the pages of an old book, yellowed and brittled by time. He closed his eyes and tried to feel out the power, not expelling any of his own but letting what was already there flow into him. He felt something ancient lap at mind. He turned his attention away from the demonic knight and looked through the trees, as the wind blew a few stubborn leaves from their branches he saw them. Stones set up in a circle, green moss covering the earth around it like a blanket of velvet as the rest of the world was turning to hues of brown and gold. The power was weak, a memory untapped for ages and he feel the shift from the boy behind him has he sense it too. "What, is that?" Fai felt the words leave his lips absently.

At the question, Kurogane turned his head to the side and watched the way the other man marveled over the standing stones. Something that had become so normal for him in this place was something new to the others, and it was strange to see such a reaction. But these stones were dangerous, and if the mage did anything, they could all be in for it, so he needed to dissuade him from getting too interested.

"That..." He started as he lead the horse in a wide circle around the stones. "Is one of the many reasons why you absolutely cannot use your magic in this world." For a moment, concern almost flooded into his voice, but the monotone was too strong. "That is also why the manjuu needs to stay hidden." It was the first time he really addressed that thing's presence, but it had been nestled into the kid's shirt the entire time, probably too scared of Kurogane, just like everything else.

"The manjuu...?" The kid spoke and turned his head to look at Kurogane. "Then you really are-"

"Don't talk." He snapped before the kid could finish his sentence, leading the horse out of the final line of trees and onto a well-traveled, but quite dusty road.

Fai felt relief wash through the boy’s body almost as acutely as if it were his own and he wished he could have shared in that sentiment. Syaoran probably felt that this was all an act, they would get filled in on the details later, but something in the man beside their horse didn’t let Fai relax. It was the opposite. The growing knot tightened. An autumn wind blew up into their faces, the scent of winter on its tail. Fai closed his eyes against it, relishing the feeling like an old almost forgotten friend, and letting it distract him. Distract him from the magic still pulling him. Distract him form this strange Kurogane. Distract him from the villagers holed up in their homes who peeked fearfully from shutters and curtains as they walked past. What had happened here?

Kurogane quickly closed the visor on his helmet as they arrived at the village. Small houses crammed together along the main road as if they needed to support each other or all of them would fall flat. As he neared, several arms came out of open windows to slam the shutters closed. The familiar click of door locks echoed as silence crept across the road. And as he took another step, a small wooden hoop rolled right in front of him, so he lifted his foot enough to catch it on his toe, an unseen frown coming to his lips.

There was a small child standing in front of one of the houses, his eyes wide and filled with tears. Kurogane looked down at the hoop, reaching down and grabbing it off his toe. 

"Forgive him, my lord." A woman was holding the child, her voice shaking almost as much as her body trembled around the boy. "He was not thinking. Please forgive him."

Several shutters opened at the commotion. There were several gasps as Kurogane let go of the reins and slowly walked towards the boy and his mother. Any other day, he would have doled out some sort of ridiculous punishment. And maybe he should, just to drive the point home with the other two, but he couldn't bring himself to do it in front of the kid. If it had just been the mage, it might have been different, but that kid didn't need to see what he had become. He held the hoop out to the child and looked down at him, eyes piercing, the hells behind them seeming to scare the boy even more, but he took the hoop before burying his face in his mother's shirt.

"Next time, I won't be as generous." He spoke lowly, an almost growl sounding with the words. "But today, I charge you with seeing nothing. You. Your son. This whole village. You see nothing. Make sure everyone knows. If I hear a word of this, or that." He nodded back to the horse. "I will come back and burn this entire place to the ground."

The woman nodded, whimpering a little and scrambling into the house with her child. Kurogane took the reins up once again and glanced around, making sure those shutters closed before he started leading his charges again.

The frown on Fai’s face deepened. "You’ve been busy." He said.

"I told you to keep quiet." Kurogane snapped a bit. Some time ago he would have responded with some quip or another, but not now. Now he just looked straight ahead, walking along the road as the sun began to sink into the horizon. The sky darkened, the pinks and oranges of the sunset being washed out by the darker purples and blues of twilight. Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled, and Kurogane said nothing, even as they approached the manor. The lack of light should have made it difficult to see, but he had returned in the pitch of night so many times that he could navigate with his eyes closed.

He brought them to the stables, helping them both off the horse as he took the armor off and stabled him. He patted the beast's back and set up the food before he took his blade off his back again and quickly sliced through the ropes on their wrists. "Not a word."

"My lord?" The voice that echoed from the door of the stables was timid, as always, but not laced with the same fear as those in the village. The boy seemed to be about the same height as Syaoran, and in this darkness it was hard to make out many of his features. "Oh. Guests." He seemed more surprised than anything. "Shall I set out more supper, then?"

"Prisoners." Kurogane muttered and once again sheathed his sword. He rested one hand on the mage's back and nudged him forward. "But yes. They should eat before I lock them in their rooms."

The boy nodded and scrambled towards the manor.

Fai stepped forward at the urging of Kurogane’s push and followed the boy out into the courtyard. His thoughts had been preoccupied on the way in, so he hadn’t a chance to take in the manor before, but as he stared up at its brick and mortar exterior, a shiver ran through him. The house stood cold and silent in the night air save a few windows lit up by candle light. He was familiar enough with homes like these, their architecture was similar to that of the village manor homes in Celes. Small castles like this, jutting up from the edges of villages, were symbols of lordship in the area. A mixture of wood and local stone set each one a part from the others. This one reached up about three stories, modest by most standards, but still an impressive home to the hobbles and huts of the village below. 

With Syaoran at his side he followed the boy up the stone stairs and through the massive double doors. The greeting hall was decorated by a hand that hadn’t been Kurogane’s. Fai could tell that much. Lavish velvet banners and tapestries hung from the wall. Solid dark wood desks and tables were set up with assortments of gilded clutter. It was meant to be a welcome hall but also a place to show case luxury as people in higher societies often did.

After following the boy through a set of large, wooden doors, they were led into the dining room, another area with décor that seemed unnecessary. The hearth burned brightly, a great contrast from the barely flickering candles in the windows, and a warm meaty broth steamed in a pot. On the table, tough bread, and a flagon of wine awaited them. The boy bustled about, scooping the stew into crude wooden bowls, setting one bowl in front of each of them once they sat, handing them rather large spoons and pouring that wine into thick cups.

Silence stretched out between them, filled only by the din of their spoons against the bowls before Mokona peeked its head out to take some offered bread. "How long have you been here?" It whispered looking at Kurogane when he finally entered the room. 

Kurogane had lagged behind the others, coming into the dining hall shortly after the meals were served. He was no longer in that armor, but in the brown and red-tinged cotton that should have been more or less white, but had spent the day stuck to his seared flesh. He ate in silence, his eyes focusing on the contents of his stew rather than the people sitting at the table. So when that question came, he glanced up at Syaoran and acted as though it was the boy who asked, and not the white thing that now poked out of his shirt.

"Probably not the time for conversation." Fai poked Mokona gently on the nose as he poured a glass of wine for Syaoran, while leaving his own half filled. "For now, just worry about getting some rest. You’re both still frozen from the ride." Syaoran was a tough kid, but the rosy color in his cheeks betrayed any cold weather stamina boy tried to fake.

"My lord." The houseboy had returned, standing in the doorway. "I lit the fireplaces in all the rooms, as you commanded, so your guest....so your prisoners will warm up properly. Is there anything else you need of me?"

The disgruntled man shook his head and watched the boy leave the room, his eyes remaining on that doorway as he spoke, his voice more or less that same monotone. "You can't leave this house, do you understand me?"

"Yes, our ears work perfectly-" Fai half turned in aggravation to look at the other man, but his words were cut off. Instinct took over as he darted up, his legs kicking the back of the chair, filling the room with a clacking sound of wood falling hard against stone. "What the hell!?" Fai rushed over to him, his hand reaching out to touch the fabric. The scent of blood hung in the air; it stained the shirt in old brown halos that encircled fresher blood as it stuck the fabric to his flesh.

Kurogane smacked that hand away before it could touch him. "Don't." He said, not at all bothered by the way the shirt stuck to parts of his chest and back at the movement. Not wincing when that same movement caused a different segment of stuck shirt to rip again from his flesh, a little bit of red seeping into the darker brown that had already dried there.

"Don’t?" Fai pulled back slightly, the hand Kurogane hit recoiling to his chest. "You’re bleeding, Kurosama. At least let me take a look."

"No." Anger welled up, and Kurogane stood quickly, stepping away from the mage enough to keep him at a distance, even as his voice echoed loudly through the hall. "William!"

Frantic footfalls echoed as the houseboy ran into the room, eyes wide. "Yes, my lord?"

"Take the kid to his room. Lock the door." He grabbed the mage's wrist and yanked him a bit. "I'm going to deal with this one myself." His voice came out as a low growl, much like the one that he used against that villager, but there was actual anger here. 

"Y..Yes my lord." William nodded and gently touched Syaoran's arm, keeping his voice soft as he coaxed him to follow him. 

Kurogane waited until the kids had left the room before he tugged on the mage's wrist again. "You want to see so badly hm?" He stormed up a spiraling staircase, his stomps echoing as he kept yanking Fai roughly along behind him. When he reached the top he thrust open a thick wooden door and all but threw the mage inside, stepping in and slamming it behind him, the latch falling into place. 

The room itself was poorly lit, even as the fire burned in the hearth, but that could be attributed to the blackness that filled every corner. Black curtains at the windows. Black tapestries keeping the heat from escaping through the cold, stone walls. Black rugs, black cloth chairs, and a black bed.

Fai rubbed his wrist when Kurogane finally let him go. It had been trouble enough to not fall on the winding stone steps, then to get all but thrown into a room? Fai's patience was wearing thin, even as that knot continued to tighten. 

"A simple, ‘follow me’ would have worked just as well," He looked around at the room, feeling as if he were suddenly on display against the darkness of the room. His white clothing and pale skin catching the glow of the fire light as he looked back at Kurogane. 

"Taking things a bit too far, aren’t you?" There was a certain freedom Fai allowed in his voice now that the Syaoran and Mokona were gone.

There was no kindness in Kurogane's eyes when he looked at the mage after that comment. His jaw set firmly as he stared at the other man. Every emotion he could have possibly felt in that moment showed. Anger, bitterness, disgust, and even a little hatred. Nothing but dark feelings that had taken him over long ago. Feelings that he had done a damn good job of hiding this entire day, even as he threatened to kill an entire village. 

He grabbed the mage's wrist again and tugged him to the bed, pushing him down on it and climbing on top of him, his legs on either side of the other man's thighs to keep him pinned there as he yanked his shirt up over his head, those bits of cloth that still clung to raw flesh ripping and pulling wounds open again. "This is what you wanted isn't it?"

That look struck him down harder than any punch or slap could have. That he could have handled. The rage he felt boiling under those blood colored eyes was an emotion he could have dealt with. But that hatred? The disgust? The knot tightened even more, and Fai fought back a wave nausea. In all the years they had known each other, and all the horrible things they had done to one another, Kurogane had never looked at him like that. The nausea only built higher as he was swirled around and thrown back on the bed where he laid ill and mute. Then he saw the wounds that latticed over Kurogane's chest and stretched over his shoulders, old and new crossing together. 

"What, happened to you?" He looked up at Kurogane, pain and sadness squeezing in his gut until it came out in the only way his body would allow. Tears welled in his eyes and he felt the knot loosen.

Kurogane knew Fai was looking at the thin scars that traced over his chest and up his shoulders, the two fresher lashes that crossed his chest. The raw and reddened flesh that hadn't quite healed from being pressed against hot metal armor. He knew the other man was trying to process everything, and months ago, there might have been enough left for him to care, but as it was, his heart had blackened and no longer reached out for any support. 

He knew that the tears that formed in the mage's eyes would be worse if he saw the mess of scars and wounds on his back. The lashings from the first few weeks. The scars from their time in that other world. 

But the wounds remained where they could be hidden. On his chest. On his real arm. On his back especially. The artificial arm had healed itself well enough, though each time was a bit slower than the time before. Soon enough it would just fall apart, he was sure of it. "Doesn't matter. You got what you wanted."

"What I wanted? Why would I want this?" Fai looked up at the man confused.

"You wanted to look at it." Kurogane muttered. 

"To clean them, and get something for them." Fai started to push his body up so he was on his elbows.

Kurogane looked at him for a lot longer than necessary, a frown coming to his lips. Those dark emotions still swirled behind his eyes, but the hatred that had been there earlier was now drowned by the anger and the bitterness. "No. I don't need your pity."

"Pity?" How long had he been here? The last time they were separated from the group it had been a lonely six months, but at least Fai still had Kurogane. Fai wasn’t sure how it would have been to spend that time alone, not knowing the people, the culture, or the language. But Kurogane had done just that, and they were completely clueless. 

"No, I don’t pity you." Fai raised his hand to cup one of Kurogane’s cheek, his fingers warm and gentle as they stroked the flesh below one dead eye. "I love you." The words left his lips as simply as if he were breathing.

"I want to know how you were hurt and Why? How long you’ve been here, why you keep looking at me the way you do."

He looked at Fai, and any sense of wanting to open up to the mage closed the instant those three untrue words were uttered. He frowned a bit, and he knew his entire expression hardened despite the warm fingers at his cheek. There was no way this wasn't pity. There was no way the mage actually loved him. Not when all Kurogane was to anyone was someone to be used and tossed aside when he was no longer needed. 

He pulled up off the other man and got off the bed, turning his back to him so that he could see the scars from those metal shards when Kurogane had become a human shield. The marks from the first lashing that hadn't fully healed at the time of the second. The angry red and white marks that zig-zagged over his shoulder blades and lower back.

"All you need to know is that your magic will get you and the others killed."

Fai’s hand dropped to cover his mouth as Kurogane turned. A lifetime of pain filled his eyes as he took in the scars on the man’s back. Old, and new, each one looking more painful than the one that had come before. And the tears fell. Fai had wanted to hold them back, something in himself making him feel guilty for even daring to feel even a part of the ninja’s pain, but he couldn’t. He didn’t hold them back, and he didn’t look away.

Fai wanted to hold him, to hug him close, but he got the feeling that it wasn’t his place any more, if it ever had been. However, someone did that to him. Someone had intended to hurt the man, to erase the life he had by covering the scars gained out of protection and honor and replacing them with cruelty. "Kurosama, what is happening here? We can’t help you if you don’t tell us, me. "

He sat up, swinging his legs so his feet were on the floor.

Kurogane clenched his fists at his sides and shook his head once. "I won't tell you."

"Why?" Fai got up and walked over to him. "Tell me who is hurting you, let me help you." Even as the words left his mouth Fai regretted saying them. They were his honest emotions, but to say things like that to a man like Kurogane...

Something inside him snapped. He wasn't sure what it was, or why it happened, but it did. His fists clenched so tightly that he could have broken his own fingers if he applied just a bit more pressure. "You can't." He snapped, whirling around and looking at the mage, all of the rage in them gone, leaving nothing but a void behind. "You need to find a way to take the kid and the manjuu and leave this world without using any magic. That's all you can do."

When Kurogane turned, he found himself face to face with Fai. Brows knitted together, eyes soft and cheeks tear stained even as he shook his head. "No. Would you really expect Syaoran to be okay with something like that? Would you really expect me to be okay with that? I would sooner stay here than leave you. Besides, unless you struck a deal we don’t know about, you’re stuck with us. If we go, you go. That’s how it works. So," Fai straightened his back. 

"You have two options." His voice strengthened. "Tell us what we need to know, to get you and us out of here. Or we stay and figure it out for ourselves." He took a step forward. "Now will you sit down, and let me get you washed up? We can talk more later."

Kurogane shook his head and frowned. "No." He took a few steps back away from the other man. There was no way he could tell him about anything. He couldn't talk about the length of time, or the things he had done. He wouldn't say anything that would make Fai feel like he needed to be the hero. Sometimes things just were the way they were, and he didn't wait all this time only to let them stay here and die.

"There is only one option, and that is you all leave as soon as possible. That's it. Nothing else."

"We can’t go unless you’re with us. It’s not possible. We all go when Mokona says it’s time. No one gets left behind. Even if we want to. That wasn’t part of the deal." Fai raised both of his hands to either side of Kurogane’s face. "I wouldn’t leave you."

"Of course you're still an idiot. It's only been a few hours for you. I haven't been one of 'us' in a long time." He muttered it before he really thought about it, but he couldn't take it back once it was said, so instead he walked to the fireplace and glared down at the flames as if that would do anything. "It's not like you've ever listened to me anyway."

"You’re always one of us." Fai replied, his voice soft even as Kurogane pulled away from him and walked back toward the fireplace. The yellow light of the flames making the marks on his body all the more hateful and red. "And you’re right. I’ve never listened to you, why I would start now? When you talk about us leaving you being, it’s nonsense. I don’t abandon people, and I won’t run away any more. So do or say what you want, but it won’t change my decision."

"You might have everyone on this world fooled, but I know you."

The laugh that came out of Kurogane's mouth was almost inhuman. A deep, maniacal sound he hadn't heard come from himself since Tomoyo sent him away all those years ago. "I have everyone fooled? You're the one who can't see things for what they really are." He turned enough to look at him, a grin spreading across his lips. The kind of grin that let the eyes show true madness. "You don't mean what you say, so don't say it. You think you know what you're talking about, but you don't." His eyes narrowed as he focused on the other man. "You can't abandon someone you've already thrown away. And you can't run away from something that's not welcoming you in the first place."

Fai didn’t flinch even as the words cut him, instead his arms folded over his chest, and his eyes narrowed slightly. "I see things plenty for what they are. I may not have all the pieces in order to fix it, but this, this isn’t you." He looked over the man with a cool discerning eye, the tears long since dried up.

"And you’re right; I can’t run away from something that isn’t welcoming me. So I’m not the one running."

"There's nothing left for you to fix, Fai." Kurogane's voice was dead again. His eyes, still narrowed, stared at the other man as if he could see right through him. "This is me now. This is it. Nothing but death can change that." He shook his head and walked away from the fireplace, heading to that thick wooden door. "Get some sleep. William will let you out in the morning."

"Did this place turn you into a liar as well?" Anger arch one fine brow. "Is it easier for you to let us go than it is just to let us help?" Fai ran a hand in his hair, the golden locks falling back like silk over his face. "I told you already that we aren’t leaving you. So you’ll just have to deal with that either tonight or in the morning."

Kurogane lifted the latch to the door and opened it, but he lingered a moment. "I haven't lied to you, but you seem to want to be stubborn and remain blind to the truth." He stepped through the doorway and before the door closed, he muttered, "Stop pretending to care. I won't fall for it anymore."


	2. Time

Dawn stretched across the sky, its golden light creating a seam over the horizon. Reds, blues, and golds bled into the night and shone against the morning frost. Fai watched the stars fade one by one. As the sun warmed the chilled glass, he leaned against his perch. He hadn’t slept, the bed was still untouched and in the freakishly perfect arrangement the house boy had created for him.

Hearing the lock of the door after Kurogane left, Fai hadn’t bothered to move much at all, only from where the ninja had left him to his current nest of pillows at the bench window. This was where he made his bed, against the cold glass and hearth warmed blankets. He could watch the town from where he was, and so he watched as lights lit up, then died out. He watched as people started their mornings as little shadows of lives he’d never know, in the distance. He mused darkly at one moment at the irony of how hard he once tried to get up into a tower, and now all he wanted was to get out. In morbid fascination he looked down, and wondered if this was a vantage point his brother had all those years ago. How strange his efforts must have seemed. It would have been almost comical; a skeleton of a child piling up corpses as a makeshift ladder to reach his brother. Fai sighed and laid his head back against the mahogany casing with a dull thud, his arms tightening around pillow he held. That wasn’t a good place for his mind to be, he had to distract it.

That’s when he heard him. Fai hadn’t noticed the man come out to the lower garden, too lost in his own thoughts at the time, but now Kurogane was there, grunting softly with each swing of the sword as the late autumn air misted his breath. Fai watched closely, his hand coming up to the window beside his head as he watched the ninja go through his mantras, each motion as fluid as dance, each swing deadly and graceful. “Kurosama…”

There was a click as the key turned in the lock and it swung open. The houseboy stood in the door frame, a little frown curving his lips downward. "My lord wishes for you to come down and eat breakfast with the other...prisoner." He grimaced a bit at the word, but otherwise there was no inflection in his voice.

Fai turned his head and looked over at the boy. He was a thin, waif like. Fai could still see the fading echoes of malnourishment on his features and in the way he still carried himself. An urchin from the streets, if Fai had to take a guess, fed and warmed by the master of the house. Well at least Kurogane still had a soft side for kids. “Thank you William.” He managed a warm smile as he shifted his legs around to the floor. “That was correct right? William?” Fai stood up and smoothed the wrinkles from his clothes.

"Yes." William nodded once, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "My lord also wishes for you to decide if you would like to continue using his room, or if you would like me to show you to a room of your own, after the meal, of course." He glanced at the bed, eyes widening just slightly when he saw that the only wrinkles in it must have come from being atop the covers, rather than sleeping in the bed properly. "But he does not need an answer immediately..."

“If your lord wishes to know the answer to that, he can ask me himself.” Fai followed the boy’s gaze. “Sorry, I couldn’t sleep last night.” He answered truthfully.

“So,” He started as he walked into the hallway. “How long have you been working for Kurorin?”

"Who?" William lead him down the spiral staircase. "Do you mean Lord Steel?" When he got to the bottom, he took a few steps forward and turned to look at Fai, the confusion very obvious. "You must hate him very much, then? If you want me to relay that message to him?"

“Lord..Steel?” Fai frowned as if the sound of the name left a bad taste in his mouth. “No, William. I don’t hate him. I would just like to see him, and figure that he can ask me questions like that himself. But if it makes your life easier, I’ll go in any room he wishes to put me. Though, if I’m going to be alone I would rather be with my friends. Is that a better answer for you?”

William sighed a little, his shoulders drooping just slightly. "I will relay the message to him." He turned and continued down the hallway. "Breakfast is ready for you." He pushed open the door to the dining hall, and there was an assortment of fruit on the table as well as some cooked eggs and sausages.

Syaoran was already sitting at the table, and when he saw Fai he smiled a little. "Faisan..." He glanced at the other boy, waiting until he went back out of the room before he looked at his friend again. "You didn't sleep, did you?"

“No, but I’ll be fine.” Fai smiled and sat by Syaoran. It was true. Fai was a trained fighter, he could go a few days on little to no sleep and be able to function just fine. “I think I slept enough the last few days, anyway.” He made himself a small plate. The mage wasn’t hungry but he didn’t need to give the boy anything else to worry about. “You?”

"Not at all." Syaoran shook his head. "But I poked around my room a little, and this place reminds me a lot of Jade country. It's definitely a lot older, but it's got a very similar feel." He poked at one of the sausages on his plate. "I'm really worried about Kuroganesan. He came through before you were brought down, but he didn't eat anything before he went outside."

“Yes, this place certainly has a familiar feel to it. I grew up in a few places like this.” There was a subtle fondness in Fai’s voice that was rare when he spoke of his past. “I’m worried about him too. He spoke with me a little bit last night. He wants us to go on without him. I told him that wasn’t possible.” Fai ate a little bit before he pushed his plate aside and sighed. “Something bad happened to him while he was away from us.”

Syaoran's eyes widened a bit. "Did he give you a reason? It's not like him to say something like that. He was always so adamant about no one getting left behind, so why would he want to be left behind?" He poked a bit at the sausage again before eating a small piece of it. "Maybe we should ask him."

"Ask what?" Kurogane was standing by the edge of the table, sword in hand. His cheeks were a bit flushed from the combination of the physical activity and the cold. His shirt was soaked with sweat, and it clung to him a bit, though none of the cloth seemed to be stuck to any blood.

“Why you wanted us to go on without you today.” Fai stated softly.

Kurogane stared at the mage for a moment, but he wasn't shocked by the statement. He just shrugged his shoulders and looked between him and the boy, his lips curving into a half-frown. There was nothing he could say that would actually answer that question to Fai's satisfaction, so he didn't. "Does that matter when you so plainly told me you refused to listen?"

“I don’t speak for the whole party. I know it’s not an option, but maybe they would be interested in your reasons.” Fai stood up and took his plate in his hand, and reached for Syaoran’s. “Are you two done eating? I’ll clean up.”

Mokona nodded its head from where it sat, hidden on the boy’s lap.

Kurogane reached out and grabbed Fai's wrist, preventing him from taking Syaoran's plate. When he spoke, his voice was just barely above that of a whisper. "William will think it's very strange if you start trying to clean up. And I don't need that boy having to hide more than he already hides." He took the other plate from Fai's hand and put it back on the table. "You all barely ate. Eat more. It's getting colder, and you will need the food to give you energy to keep warm." He stepped back from the table.

"You say that, but I didn't see you eat anything." Syaoran looked at Kurogane. "What is going on, Kuroganesan."

"Don't call me that." He snapped before he clenched his fists and forced himself to calm down. "Don't...use my name at all."

“You don’t need to yell at him, Lord Steel. He’s just worried about you.” Fai sat back down in front of his food, it looked more unappetizing than before, but he forced more down. “So what are the prison rules then? If we’re going to be here awhile we should know what we can and can’t do.”

"Lord Steel?" Syaoran arched a brow and looked between Fai and Kurogane. "Seriously?"

Kurogane frowned and narrowed his eyes. He clenched and unclenched his fists a bit, forcing the anger down as best he could. "I told you what you can't do yesterday." He snorted and turned, grabbing his sword from where he had leaned it against the wall. "I'm not going to repeat myself."

Fai looked at Syaoran quickly from the corner of his eye and sighed softly. The boy was currently feeding off Fai’s mood, and it was coming out in the boy defiance. “No, Lord Steel.” Fai finished eating and placed a gentle hand on Syaoran’s shoulder. How the rest of this played out relied on the mage, and he knew that. “You don’t have to repeat them for me. But I would appreciate that you repeated them for the other two. They didn’t hear you last night, and commands are always better heard from the person in charge, right?” Slowly Fai turned his head back on the ninja. Those eyes were hard but not cold. They were searching out the other man.

Last night the mage had thought the twisting inside of him was because of their situation, but after having a night to reflect on it he knew it was more than that. Fai has spent a better part of a century studying magic and the way it would push and pull on another source. Some magic attracted other types of magic, and there was magic that repelled. Something in this world, or in this house was trying to repel the mage, but for all Fai could sense it might have been the will of the master. Wishes, if they were strong enough, could be just as potent as any spell.

Syaoran looked between them, his brows knitting a bit in confusion at this whole situation. While it wasn't unusual for Kurogane to get mad over nothing, the anger the man showed went beyond that. "Was there something else aside from telling us not to leave the building?" He asked, his voice softer than earlier. He knew the mood was getting to him, and he was getting snappish, but it was clear that wasn't what was needed right now.

"The only thing I told you that I didn't tell him..." Kurogane started, nodding his head towards Syaoran, "is to stop pretending you care. I know you can do that easily." He narrowed his eyes a bit more than before, looking into the mage's eyes to let him know he simply wasn't intimidated by him. Maybe on another world he would have felt guilty, but not here. Here he wouldn't feel anything. "You don't want to die, so don't disobey."

A long drawn out silence filled the room before Fai waved his hand dismissively. “Aaack!” He stretched his arms across the table before he flopped back in his chair. “So is there something we CAN do. A library, a study, anything? We get bored easily and then bad things tend to happen. Is it so weird to force prisoners into house labor? I wouldn’t mind helping with the cooking around here, and I’m sure the Syaoran would love to have something to read. If you’re going to keep us under lock and key, you might as well allow us to entertain ourselves.”

Kurogane's expression went sour, though that was only a minor improvement over the angry one from moments before. "William can answer that better than I can." He said, lifting his sword and resting it on his shoulder. "He's the one who's here all day." He nudged open the doors leading out of the dining hall and stepped into the other room, not saying another word, and already halfway to the spiral staircase before the door finished swinging closed.

Syaoran lifted his hand and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He looked at the now closed doors and sighed. "If we disobey him, we die? Doesn't that scare you even a little bit, Faisan?"

“No,” Fai said, watching the door swinging shut behind the retreating figure. “Because Kurosama is here.” He whispered as he stood up and placed his hand on the boy’s head before he chased after the man, stopping midway in the hall, before calling out to him.

“Oye, Steelsama!”

He had one foot on the bottom stair when he heard the mage's voice. He stopped, but he didn't turn to face him. "What is it...?"

Fai walked up to the banister, his arms folding over the carved lions head at its base, the posture innocent yet somehow seeming irreverent. “Will you be leaving soon?”

Kurogane searched his face for some sort of indignation or blame, but when he found none, he nodded once. "Before dawn, most likely." He glanced off to the side, as if listening for any indication that either of the kids were about to enter and hear what he was about to say next. "I'll probably be gone for three or four days."

"Will I see you?" Fai asked softly.

"When? Before I leave or after I come back?"

"Before." Fai kept his voice low so it didn't carry in further than their own ears.

"Only if you plan on sleeping in my room again." Kurogane looked at him.

"If you come to me before you go, I'll stay there."

Kurogane looked at him for a long moment before he simply nodded once and started up the staircase again.

Fai watched him go before he laid his head against his folded arms. He just needed a minute to collect his thoughts before he went back to join the others. A scant moment to find something to smile about, but it seemed that those things were getting more and more elusive. So he’d wing it for now.

He pushed away from the lions head, giving it a tap on the head before he walked back to the dining hall. “William?” he called softly, figuring the boy was chronically in ear shot.

William was already in the dining hall, gathering up the plates and utensils from breakfast. "Yes?" He turned and looked at Fai as the other man entered the room. "Was everything acceptable? The Lord doesn't normally eat breakfast, so I tried as best I could."

“Yes, thank you.” Fai bowed his head graciously. “I have a few requests, if I may.”

The boy glanced over at the other one, who was sitting at the table and watching them both. He turned his gaze back to the blond man and nodded. "As long as you don't ask to go into the village or leave the manor or anything like that, I think I can help."

“Thank you.” Fai smiled and casually leaned against the edge of the table. “And about that, where I grew up we had homes like these. Behind the manors were stretches of land that were part of the lord’s property. Is there anything like that here and is it considered part of the manor?”

The question seemed to make the boy uncomfortable, as he looked off to the side for a moment before he looked at the man again. "Well, this whole..." He bit his lower lip and picked his words carefully. "This whole region belongs to My Lord, but..." He shook his head. "I believe he does not want you to leave the building..."

“Okay, so we are locked in the walls. Second question. Is there a study? Or a place with books for my young friend over there?”

"I guess you could go outside if you stay within the outer walls." William fidgeted a little. "There is a library, yes. I don't believe the lord has ever been in there..." He glanced around and lowered his voice a little. "He barely goes anywhere but his room and this room."

“Well, that doesn’t surprise me. At least it’s something to do. On that note, may I have free range of the kitchen?” Fai stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on the boy’s shoulder, lowering himself so that he was eye level. “You don’t have to agree with anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

William's cheeks flushed a little at the other man's proximity and he shook his head quickly. "I have no right to say no to anything. Even...even though the lord calls you prisoners, I can tell you're a higher class than me. I am just a lowly servant." He bowed his head a little.

Fai shook his head. “We don’t work that way. We’re all on the same level, William.” He took his hand and ruffled the boy’s mousey hair. “One last question. Do you happen to know what a cookie is?”

William's cheeks reddened even more, and he seemed to want to try to sink into his tunic. "A what?" He looked at him, his eyes a bit wide.

“Perfect!” Fai’s smile spread from ear to ear. “Will you please show Syaoran to library then, if you have no other chores to do currently, will you meet me in the kitchen?”

William nodded and put the armful of dirty dishes into a cauldron of water before he looked to the other boy, who stood and smiled at him. He smiled back, a bit awkwardly, but he turned to the doors. "This way." He said softly, stepping out of the room.

***

Fai pulled his drying hair out of the collar of the woolen tunic, his fingers testing the softness of the fabric as they grazed past. It wasn’t of the same ilk as the finer materials he had grown accustomed to in recent years, but it was high quality and comfortable. Whatever Kurogane had gotten himself into, at least there had been an attempt to maintain a sense of stability.

He sat down on the table, smiling softly at the plate of cookies that sat in the center. Part of him was pleased that the whole of the house retained the scent of baking goods. William had been excited to try his first bite, well as excited as the boy allows himself to show, but Fai was certain he saw him put a few in his pockets before leaving to complete the rest of his chores. Everyone needed to take a load off once in a while, and that boy was no exception. He reminded him of Syaoran in that way.

Kurogane had been able to smell the cookies as soon as the mage opened the heavy door of his room to bring the tray in. It was clear that this was the mage's doing, and yet he couldn't really be mad at him since he never told him he couldn't cook anything if William was willing to let him do it. And it looked like the other man had found his own room, or William had shown him, and had bathed and at least become a little comfortable in the wool clothing that was laid out for him. Soon enough the mage would see that this wasn't a place of finery, if he hadn't figured that out already. He cleared his throat a little and crossed his arms over his chest. "You seem pretty pleased with yourself."

Fai looked up and, despite himself, he smiled in greeting to the larger man. “And you seem pretty displeased with everything,” He said as he took a cookie off the plate and waved it in offering to him. “I just wanted to keep myself busy, I suppose.”

"I am displeased with everything." Kurogane shook his head and didn't take the offered cookie. "I don't think I even want to know how you managed to make those." He frowned and crossed his arms. "I suppose I shouldn't go get the meat for tonight's dinner, then?"

“If there’s a will, there’s a way. These weren’t hard to make and required the simplest of ingredients.” Fai took a bite of the cookie and smiled. “Ah, but you don’t care for sweet things. They were just a treat, not meant for dinner.” He rested his chin in his hand, drumming his fingers against his cheek. “Did you want help getting dinner?”

"No. I have to go beyond the manor to do it." Kurogane looked at the mage before he started to pull a leather breastplate over his woolen shirt. "It depends on what I can find, since William used up the last of the rabbit in the stew last night, and it gets cold very quickly after the sun goes down, as you probably felt last night. The leaves will probably fall and the first snow could happen any day now."

“Cold doesn’t bother me.” Fai sighed as he stood up, walking over to the glass and resting his hand on it. “This place is a lot like Ceres.”

Kurogane watched him move to the window. His eyes moved down his body before they went up to the back of his head, watching the way his hair seemed to glow softly in the light. "I know it seems that way." He said after a moment of observation. "I won't be gone long, but if you need something to do to pass the time, you can heat up a bath for me. I'll need it when I get back."

Fai looked over his shoulder at him. For a moment, a brief glint of the man’s age passed by in those sapphire depths. Life times over lapping with each other. Not all of it bad, not all of it painful. “Ceres wasn’t a bad place, so the memories don’t bother me that much.”

“I’ll have a bath heated for you by the time you get back, Milord.” Fai turned and bowed his head in acknowledgement of the request. It wasn’t under indignation, just a simple understanding of the pretense that had to be upheld.

"Aa." Kurogane watched him for another moment before he turned and left the room. He didn't want the mage to see just how agitated he was at this whole thing. He couldn't tell him that the hunting was a way to release some of the pent up anger. That killing eased his mind a bit. That there was something satisfying about watching blood splatter and soak into the ground. 

So he was especially fired up as he went out to get enough meat to last at least a few days. William always seemed to know what to do with it, and now he would be making meals for three instead of one, so the more, the better. And so all it took was one arrow, clean through the beast's neck. One arrow to pull out and wipe clean on his pants. He hoisted up the deer, carrying it over his shoulders and to the kitchen, dropping it on the table so William could get to work on it. The boy was much better at that sort of thing that he was.

When he got back up to his room, his clothing was splotched red from the blood, but he didn't seem to care as he pulled the leather and wool off his chest. He turned towards the tub, his eyes locking on the mage. "How warm is the water?"

The blond straightened his back as he rubbed his hands together, ridding it of the bits of bark and dirt from the logs used to heat the bath. “Should be fine. I vaguely remembered the temperature you enjoyed your baths from Yama.” He tapped the side of his temple. “Hopefully.”

He stepped aside as he moved his hands down the front of his tunic, only adding to dirt and soot that already clung to the once white fabric. It bothered his more orderly sensibilities, but for now he’d do his best to ignore it. “Test it out.”

Kurogane leaned over and stuck his hand in the water, grunting a little and pulling his hand back before he unceremoniously dropped his trousers and got into the water, sinking back against the wood. "It'll snow tonight." He said, his eyes following the other man's every movement, and his lips curved a bit into a grin. "You need to wash up?"

“Yeah, I could feel that in the air too.” Even as he tried to fight it, the mage felt his eyes wondering over to where Kurogane undressed. Perhaps it was the influence of age that had gone unnoticed, or perhaps it was the time spent in this world, but the man before him was certainly different than the man he knew just yesterday. He had filled out in some places, and thinned in others. New muscles shifted and moved under his skin, and softer flesh around his midsection was all but gone. Kurogane was in peak physical condition, and that worried the mage almost as much as the scars. They were cleaner than yesterday, the blood was gone, but the welts and marks still lashed angrily over the man’s tan skin. He lowered his eyes respectfully as he picked up the clothing, placing in the basket he would bring to William in the morning.

“I’ve already wash up, Milord,” He rolled on his heels. “Do you need anything else right now? I’m going to change out of this, the fire pit below the basin needed to be cleaned out. I asked William to bring some clothing from my room here, and I think I saw a robe in the wardrobe.”

Kurogane couldn't help leaning forward enough to rest his arms on the other side of the tub, resting his chin on his arms as his grin widened. "Suit yourself. I'm not going anywhere until I'm warm."

Fai nodded his head and excused himself from the room, blinking a little when he walked past the table. Where there were only the cookies before, there was now two plates of perfectly cooked venison, resting alongside two cooked and opened potatoes. He also noticed there were fewer cookies than before. Fai couldn’t help but smile as he walked past and pulled a soft white robe from the armoire. He hadn’t even sensed the boy come into the room, but Fai should have expected as much form an aid hand-picked by Kurogane.

He slipped the tunic off his shoulders, careful to not let the grime of it touch his still clean skin, and slipped the pants off, setting it in the pile on top of Kurogane’s before he slid the robe on. It had been softer than tunic and Fai felt a smile of comfort curve his lips before he tied it shut and went back into the bathroom. “Dinner is apparently served. I hate to cut your bath short but it would be a crime to let that get cold and go to waste.”

"Yeah, William came in earlier." Kurogane was still resting his chin on his arms, his eyes a little darker than before. He was still grinning, but now because he had gotten a good show of the mage changing more than anything else. "Grab that towel for me would you?" He scooted back in the water and stood, not even remotely fazed when the cooler air hit his wet skin, and stood in the tub, letting the water drip down his body as he held his hand out and waited for the mage to get him the towel.

Modesty must have been something else the ninja lost when he landed here. “Sure,” Fai grabbed a towel off one of the side tables and walked it over to man, his eyes doing their best not to follow each rivulet of water as it flowed down his chest, but despite his efforts he felt his cheeks warm, and his blood quicken as he handed the towel up. “Here,”

Kurogane took the towel and began to dry himself off, stepping out of the tub and walking to grab a nightshirt, tugging it on over his head. The first few times he had to wear something like this, he had tried to just sleep naked instead, but as the nights got colder, he learned to get used to it. Without a word of acknowledgment of the long shirt, he sat down and grabbed one of the plates, resting it on his lap as he picked apart the venison.

“Looks good.” Fai smirked, stifling a laugh behind his hand but it still came through and he had to admit it felt good to do so. “The fashion in this world does not seem to blend well your sensibilities. I will say that much. But it isn’t without its charm.” Fai started eating, and marveled at another of William’s talents. “Would he have given food for Syaorankun and Mokona?”

If it was still that other world, Kurogane might have gotten angry at Fai for laughing at him, but instead he just shrugged it off and ate a little of the meat. "He would have. The kid's still in the library. He's been there all day, so William would have brought food to him there." He shrugged and ate a little more, his eyes watching the fire as it danced in the hearth. "Eat all of it if you can."

The rest of the dinner was silent before Fai pushed the plate away from himself. “That’s about all I can manage.” He had eaten a fair amount of it, far more than a man of his size should have been able to, but with his body finally relaxing it was reminding him that he hadn’t had much yesterday or this morning.

Kurogane took Fai's leftovers and scraped them onto his own plate, eating them in silence. He continued to watch the fire, almost losing himself in it before he swallowed the last mouthful and spoke. "While I'm gone, eat in the hall with the others. Then you can tell William to give you less food." He piled up the plates and left them on the table, standing and stretching his arms above his head before he walked towards the bed and sat down.

“Sorry,” Fai wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, but something in Kurogane’s actions made the man feel guilty. “Are you staying in here tonight then?” Fai stood up and walked over to the bed, his bare feet slapping softly against the stone floor.

"Well, it is my room." Kurogane watched him as he walked towards him. "Are you planning on staying in here again tonight?"

“I said I would, this morning. And I don’t do well sleeping alone anymore,” Fai sat down on the bed, for the first time letting the plushness surround him along with the feeling of the furs and the black velvet touch his skin. His body suddenly reminding him that he hadn’t slept the night before.

"Then you should go sleep with the kid while I'm gone." Kurogane glanced at him. "Or you won't be sleeping well for a while."

Fai looked down at his folded hands before looking back up at Kurogane. “You leave a dawn, right?” The snow started the fall. From the window behind them, Fai could see the flakes slowly start to flitter down.

The bigger man nodded once, still looking at the other man. "As soon as the light fills the sky, yes."

“That’s still a few hours away, shouldn’t you get some rest before you leave?” Fai said, looking back down at his hands.

"If I can sleep, I will." Kurogane watched the way the other man kept staring at his hands. "You should sleep while you can."

"Will you wake me?"

"I wasn't planning on it, but if that's what you want, then I will."

Fai nodded his appreciation before looking up at him again. “If you don’t sleep, what are you planning on doing for most of the night?”

"I'm sure I'll sleep eventually." Kurogane shrugged. "You shouldn't waste your energy worrying about me." There was a touch of bitterness in his voice.

“Worrying about you, isn’t a waste of anything.” Before the mage even knew what he was doing, he leaned up to kiss the other man on cheek, his lips grazing the corner of his mouth.

Kurogane's entire body tensed up at that contact, and before he even really had time to process it, he had pushed the mage back onto the bed and had jumped away, standing a few feet from the bed and staring at him, anger rising behind his eyes. "The hell are you doing?"

Fai laid against the furs and pillows, for a moment too startled to move. “Didn’t expect that.” He whispered softly as he lifted himself onto his arms, his back twisting a bit so he could see Kurogane. “I was just-“ His words cut off when he saw the other’s expression. Slowly, his eyes lowered to the floor and then he remembered, he didn’t have that kind of place any more. Hell the mage wasn’t sure where his place was, but it wasn’t here at least not like that.

“Sorry.” The whisper was faint as he laid his head down on the pillow, his arms folded under him and his eyes unable to lift to Kurogane’s face.

Kurogane struggled to calm down. He clenched his fists at his sides and stared at the way the other man laid on the bed with his eyes elsewhere. He felt a tinge of relief when he wouldn't look at him, so he wouldn't see the other emotion swirling with anger. So he wouldn't see the way he struggled with himself, clearly conflicted. He clenched his jaw and forced it down, closing his eyes for a long moment before he felt it melt, and when it was gone, he opened his eyes. "You...can't do that." He thought he heard his own voice tremble, but he attributed that to the slight hitch in his breathing as he calmed himself.

“I won’t,” Fai said, the pain in his voice was palpable. He knew there was never anything official about their relationship aside from a few nights in a world created by an A.I. gone mad, they had never solidified anything, and sex sometimes was just a form of release. At least that’s what Fai wished he could tell himself. Fai wished he had the ability to turn it all off like how Kurogane seemed to have learned. Fai wished his denial of him didn’t feel like a hand had reached inside of his chest and started to squeeze. "I'm sorry," He repeated.

After letting out a long, drawn out sigh, Kurogane walked to the bed again and sat back down. He didn't look at the mage's face as he lifted the blankets and furs, making sure the other man was warm before he got under the covers himself. He laid on his back and looked up at the canopy of the bed. "You'll get hurt." Was the only thing he let come out before he closed his eyes.

“Too late.” Fai turned his face into the pillow and waited for sleep to take hold.

Kurogane remained still, but he listened to Fai's breathing, only letting himself relax once he was sure the other man was asleep. His own sleep came in a blink, and left just as quickly. He sat up and slid out of the bed, not waking the mage yet as he changed into his woolen clothing. Once he was done, he walked back to the bed and rested his hand on the mage's shoulder, shaking him once before stepping back. "You wanted me to wake you up." He said, not caring if Fai was actually awake or not.

He walked towards the door, opening it just as William was reaching for the handle. The boy smiled sheepishly and uttered a soft 'my lord' before he started helping him with his armor. If Kurogane's words hadn't woken Fai up, the noise from the metal certainly would.

Fai had sat up at the entrance of the young house boy and sat in silence as he watched the man become the demon. Fai decided he hated that armor. The way it twisted and bent around itself, the way it gnarled the features of the man inside of it, and the way it seemed to bring out the worst in those around it. Fai hated all of it.

He ran a hand through his hair once to tame it, and rid it of the any snares brought on by sleep and he walked over to the two them. The room was cold against his bare legs, but he welcomed the sensation. “May I see your sword?” His voice still bared an echo of their conversation last night.

He was about to protest, but something made him change his mind, so he nodded to where the blade rested in its sheath, leaning against one of the chairs, the demonic helmet resting on the cushion by the hilt. He turned his attention back to William, who was clasping the last of his chest armor.

The mage walked over to it, took the blade, and kneeled on the floor in front of it after casting an accusing glare at the helmet he sat up on his legs, his fingers moving softly over the blade. It was well worked steel, and well maintained. His tips glided over the impractically twisted surface. This wasn’t a sword meant for just killing; the teeth that jutted out on either side and were angled back, so while it went in smoothly, on the way out it would hook into muscle and bone, tearing it apart.

 _What have they done to you?_ Fai closed his eyes, a frown on his lips before his expression softened, and he leaned forward resting his forehead against the center of the hilt as he whispered softly. The words were ancient and foreign to even his tongue.

Kurogane did his best not to watch Fai do whatever he was doing, but he couldn't help it. He watched the way the mage crouched in front of that blade and spoke something he didn't think he'd understand even with the manjuu close by. He opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and remained silent.

As he leaned in, a curtain of blond shielded his face as his lips touched the gem in the center. Had anyone seen his face they would have noticed a look of disappointment. The sword was a dead end; he felt no power residing in it, and nothing that repelled his touch. He stood up and took the sword by its hilt, whirling it around to present it to Kurogane as if its weight meant little to him. “I didn’t use any magic, but even wishes have their strengths.” He looked away for a moment as if readying himself for a scolding. “Your country blesses the swords of their fighters, you told me that once. I’m far removed from being a priest, but there are still a few things I believe in strongly enough to pray to.” It wasn’t a lie despite the ulterior motive, and Fai made sure the man could see nothing but sincerity in his eyes. 

He took the blade from the mage, looking down at it as he turned it in his hands. "Aa." He reached back and slid it into the scabbard strapped to his back. He wasn't sure what to say, so he didn't say anything. He just looked at Fai, then at William before he grabbed something off the table, grabbed his helmet and his gauntlets, and left the room.

William blinked several times, looking between the blond and the door his lord had just walked through. He was clearly confused, but he turned to the other man and blinked. "I know those...cookies you called them...were good, but..." His eyes widened as he spoke. "That was the first time in this past year that I've seen him take anything to eat before the sun reached its peak in the sky."

Fai smiled just a little as he watched the ninja take a cookie from the plate. The action was simple, yet endearing, and even made comical given the hellish armor, but then William spoke and the smile faded from his lips. “A year? He’s been here, a whole year? Like this?” Fai felt his legs go numb and before he could fall, he slumped back in to a chair. His mind was reeling as if he didn’t hear the shattering of glass to the floor as a cup was knocked from the table by his movement. “Kurosama...”


	3. Loneliness

The sun had already dipped below the horizon when Kurogane slowly guided his horse up the long dirt path that led to the stables. Both of them looked worse for wear, with blood crusting on his armor and matting the horse's mane. He heard the door open, and the small scampering of feet made him shake his head a little. William was a bit too diligent, but he knew he made a good decision in picking the boy. After all, he reminded him just a little of the kid: inquisitive, but very careful. Strong, but not overbearing. It was the only sense of familiarity he felt once landing in this strange land, and so he brought the boy with him. Anything to make that separation just a bit more tolerable, though at the time he didn't know it would be so long. 

Besides, William was the only boy in the capital who didn't flinch at him when he was covered in blood. Just as he didn't flinch now as he waited patiently for Kurogane to dismount so he could tend to the horse and stable him. 

Without a word, William helped him removed the armor, setting it aside before he turned and did the same for the steed. Kurogane looked at him for a moment, watching the way he gently cleaned the dried blood off the horse. He just nodded once before he left the boy to his work and entered the house. 

He could hear the kid shuffling around in the library. He walked to the doorway and looked in, almost chuckling at the stack of books that surrounded him as he tried to absorb as much information as he could. He looked up and managed a little smile at Kurogane, so he nodded in return. When he went back to his current book, the bigger man turned and slowly headed up the spiral staircase to his tower bedroom. 

Kurogane's hand gripped the door handle and hesitated. He saw the light coming from the room when he rode through the front gate earlier, so he knew Fai should have been awake, or else the fire shouldn't have been lit so brightly. But he still hesitated. He wasn't sure what he should do or say in a situation like this. The last five days had really taken a toll on him, and although he had endured such things many time before, this time seemed like the worst. 

It had to be because he was softening up. The others had been in the manor only two nights before he left, and he could feel the ice melting. He was losing his ability to repel those hateful words or those looks men gave him as he drove his sword through them. 

He closed his eyes and steeled himself before he opened the door, opening his eyes as he did so. When he stepped into the room, he looked around once before his eyes settled on the man curled up by the window, nestled in a mass of black blankets. His lips twitched a little, as if they wanted to smile, but he hadn't done so in so long, so they couldn't do it. He took slow steps towards the mage and reached out to let his fingers touch the hair that rested at the base of his neck. "Hey..." 

Fai murmured something incoherent. It had taken some time but he had managed to find himself in a state of a light doze. Since Kurogane left, this was only the second night he spent in this room. The ninja had told him he would be gone for three days, maybe four. Today was day five, and the mage had felt uneasy about it. He trusted the man to come back if he said he would, but that never stopped the mind from wandering. What was he doing out there? Why couldn’t he tell him what had been happening to him over the last year? What was keeping him? Who was he meeting?

Those kinds of questions ate away at him, and it made Fai feel pathetic. Kurogane was here a whole year. A whole year in this place alone, and Fai was concerned about five damn days. Five days left him sitting at a bedroom window simply because it had the best vantage point of the yard. If Kurogane came back he’d see him, and he’d see William light the lanterns in the stable. Five days and he was ready to head out there himself and scour the countryside to look for Kurogane despite knowing he should stay put. Five stupid days and he felt incredibly alone. And it hadn’t been made any easier considering the terms that they last parted on were not the clearest. The ninja had rejected him, almost violently so. Fai wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, and it was possible he was reading the atmosphere wrong, but to be shoved away had felt like a definite nail in the coffin of their short lived relationship. And somehow, despite all of that, he had managed to quell his mind long enough to gain a few precious hours of sleep. 

Though somewhere in that half aware state he knew something in the room demanded his attention. He almost frowned as his eyes fluttered open, but when he saw the figure that stood before him, he smiled softly, eyes catching the firelight as they sparkled up at the man. 

“You’re late,” He whispered softly his arms stretching above his head before coming back down to rest over his stomach. “Ah well, welcome home.”

"Something came up. I handled it." Kurogane shook his head and watched the way the other man moved. The way his arms stretched over his head and pulled at that nightshirt, his nightshirt. The way the blankets fell a little when he moved.

He moved his hand a little closer, no longer touching that hair, but letting his fingers graze against Fai's neck. He watched his face, looking for some sort of reaction he could gauge.

The touch of the other man raised goose bumps down the back of Fai’s neck. “Hnm, are you alright?” He asked, knowing he wouldn’t get a proper reply.

That subtle reaction and that question were all Kurogane needed. He slid his fingers up to the other man's jaw and gently turned his head just a bit. As he did, he leaned in and pressed his lips against the tender flesh of his neck, perhaps a bit more gently than he otherwise intended. His artificial hand came up and rested on the other man's side as the kisses to his neck got a bit needier.

“Nm!” A syllable of startled pleasure escaped the mage’s lips before he could stop it. “Oie, Kurosama?” To say he was confused was an understatement. The last time they saw each other Fai could barely tell if the man hated him or put up with him. If their last encounter confused him, this was downright baffling. “Ah.” He whimpered braking up his thoughts. Damn, why was the skin there always so sensitive?

Without a word, Kurogane placed another kiss to Fai's neck, at the tender flesh just above the collarbone. His hand fell from his jaw and he took a step back to look at the other man's face. His own eyes were slightly narrowed, but not in anger, his lust made more obvious by the lick of his lips and the bulge that was staring to strain against his leather trousers.

His mind cleared after Kurogane allowed for a brief reprieve from his assault. Fai looked up at the man, his eyes searching. What he found there, he couldn’t put words to. There was a lust that went beyond a physical need. There was a numbness, cold and desolating, that forced a chill down Fai’s spine. An elegant hand reached out of the confines of blankets to touch the others cheek. The back of his fingers stroked down over his jaw.

If he had noticed Fai's sympathy, he didn't want to acknowledge it. Kurogane turned his head to the side and pressed his lips into the palm of the mage's hand, kissing and allowing his tongue to taste the salt of his skin. He slowly moved down to his wrist and licked there once before he pulled back again. He didn't want to dwell on anything right now. He just wanted to feel like he could do something good for once.

As those lips moved down the length of his arm, Fai’s hand curled around to run back through the hair at the base of Kurogane’s neck. His fingers threaded through the black threads, noting the length of them as they curled within them. A whole year. “Kurosama,”

Kurogane did his best to stifle the groan that tried to pass his lips when the other man ran his fingers through his hair like that. He needed to focus on something else, so he pulled Fai up to stand before him, his eyes making an obvious show of trailing down his body and looking him over before they returned to his face. His tongue came out to wet his lips again and he leaned forward once more, kissing along his neck on the other side, tongue tasting as his lips trailed to his earlobe.

Fai flushed feeling red eyes travel down the length of his body to where his toes curled nervously into the fur of a rug. He was suddenly very conscious of what was wearing. After his bath he’d forgotten his clothing in his bedroom and hadn’t wish to get it, so out of necessity he’d taken Kurogane’s night shirt. Fai nearly drowned in the thick fabric, but it was there, it was comfortable, and it carried with it the ninja’s scent. “I- ah..” He started, feeling he might owe and explanation but cognitive thought left him as he felt warm lips travel along the outer shell of his ear. “Aah!”

Kurogane lifted his head from Fai's neck only long enough to turn the other man around, so that his back was pressed against his chest. His lips resumed their work, this time kissing around that spot where his neck met his shoulder. His fake hand slid down his side and over his hip, grabbing at the fabric and pulling it up enough to expose his upper thighs, but not high enough to fully expose him. He pressed himself against his backside and his lips worked their way back up to his ear.

Fai felt him press hot and needy against his back, the sensation made his body tremble even as his brain raced to catch up. It wasn’t that he didn’t understand what was happening, it was that he couldn’t comprehend ‘why’. Though when those lips came back to continue the manipulation of his ear, his mind blanked, words left him, and the ‘why’ didn’t seem to matter. His legs had become unsteady, and they spread to find new purchase as he leaned back more against Kurogane’s chest. His head lulled to one broad shoulder, still held loosely in Kurogane’s grasp. Calloused, rough fingers pressed gently into the soft flesh of his cheek, carefully avoiding the cut that was still healing. Though the proximity of his touch to the damaged skin sent a tingle down his nerves and forced his eyes to seek out their reflection in the window. 

Back lit by the hearth the image showed a man, tall and slender, golden hair curling slightly at slim shoulders, being held captive by a large black figure. Hands gripping at the pale, exposed flesh of his thighs, and turning his head as it devoured the sensitive flesh of his neck and ear. Hungrily taking what he could, as Fai stood there, the only too willing victim. 

The hand that Kurogane had been using to hold Fai's head dropped, resting on the front of one of his thighs. He slowly dragged it up, his wrist pushing the bunched cloth up along with it. He slid his fingers up along his flesh until the palm of his hand slid against the other man's heat, and he rubbed, just slightly. Enough for the movement to be felt, but not enough for it to satisfy, and as he did that, his tongue flicked against Fai's earlobe again. He had no intention of stopping now. 

“Ah!” The touch, aggravatingly gentle as it was, had caused Fai to push his hips back, trapping himself firmly between Kurogane’s hand and his desire. A mewl of desire parted the mage’s lips as he spread his legs further for other man.

Kurogane pulled the fabric up to fully expose him, that hand resting on his hip and holding him steady as the other moved, slowly, probably agonizingly, but he didn't care. If it made Fai push himself back against him, that slow rubbing was doing what he intended it to do.

“Nnm! What? Nnm!” That one word managed its way past parted lips as Fai finally turned away from their reflected vulgarity. He’d never seen himself while passion took control, and if the sight of him twisting and grinding back against the other man wasn’t too much for him, the expression of need in his own eyes as Kurogane exposed him, certainly was. Already hard and weeping for release, the indecency of his own body made him turned his head away. His hands lifted to grip Kurogane’s wrists. Fingers that were always so steadfast and nimble, now trembled helplessly.

He couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips at that. Kurogane didn't think it would be that easy to render Fai speechless, but here he was, unable to make any sense. He rubbed with his palm once more before he moved and curled his hand around the other man's hardened heat and began to move it. Again, the movements were slow, but deliberate, and Kurogane continued to smirk as he worked the mage's sex.

A cry was stifled as that blond head arched back against a broad shoulder. Fai’s lip caught between his teeth to keep his own voice from echoing off the walls. “Mm-mmph!” His hips started to move slowly, following the lead of the other's hand, and now his own as longer fingers encircled around Kurogane’s. He turned his head, tilting it up as he finally opened his eyes to see the ninja’s face.

Kurogane moved his hand faster, though he gripped at the other man's hip to keep him from moving too much. He said nothing, even when he noticed the way Fai was looking at him. Instead he just grinned and pumped him, pressing himself against him as much as he could. He knew the other man would feel him a bit better if he did that, and that was more effective than trying to speak anyway.

Fai felt it building up, and felt as each of his muscles tightened, his toes curled against the rug and pushed him up, so his heels were no longer against the floor, and his body was pressed harder against Kurogane, desperate now for balance and release. His hand came up to back of the other’s head, gripping his hair as the other squeezed the prosthetic wrist. “AH!” His voice coming back to his ears was the last thing he could handle as he came into the ninja grip.

Kurogane loosened his hand when he felt Fai crash against him like that. The grin that rested on his lips earlier widened, and he chuckled lowly into the back of the other man's ear. "You really should be quieter, one of the kids will hear you." He couldn't help but taunt Fai just a little. After all, he knew it was his fault for making him release in the first place.

“You-“ Fai panted as he let Kurogane support his slumped figure. He waited for a moment for the world to come back to him before he slid his hand from the back the ninja’s head to tenderly stroke his cheek. His thumb caressing the other’s lower lip as the next words left his mouth. “I thought you hated me.” Strength came back to his legs as he set them more firmly on the ground. Focus starting to return to his eyes.

He flicked his tongue out against the thumb against his lower lip. "I never hated you." He whispered, the grin gone now as the other man made it serious. He was the hated one, wasn't he? The one no one really wanted unless they were using him. No. He couldn't have that. This needed to keep him afloat. He needed to continue with something good and not focus on anything bad. So he gripped Fai's hip again and slid his other hand around, dragging it up the back of one thigh.

“Kurosama,” The mage pulled the other man’s head down just enough so his lips could grace the hard edge of his jaw. Kurogane didn’t want a conversation, and what he actually wanted wasn’t hard for the mage to figure out. 

When he felt those lips at his jaw, he froze. His fingers had just pressed against the softer flesh of the other man's backside, but they just stopped. He felt his whole body tense, and something else flooded through him. He knew he was stuck. If he let Fai do what he wanted, then he would be going against his own emotions. If he pulled back, the other man was sure to feel rejected. So he did the only thing he could think of. He pulled his hand from the man's hip and moved it up his back, pushing him to bend forward enough that the other man would have to press his hands against the window frame to brace himself.

There was a whimper of disapproval as the man was gently guided away and toward the window. His hands pressed against the chilled glass and the reflection forced him to look into his own lust filled, yet confused eyes, so he bowed his head, his shoulder length blond locks parting at the nape of his neck revealing the marks left by Kurogane’s attentions. The kiss bruised flesh a stark contrast of purple and blue against ivory.

Kurogane leaned down and licked one of those marks as his fingers pressed against him. His other hand slid down the cloth on his back until he reached the bottom of it. Once there, he slid his hand under the nightgown and slid his fingers up along the other man's spine. Soft, barely there touches that were sure to get a reaction. 

“Ah...” Fai’s gasp steamed up the glass in front of him, obscuring his image so he didn’t have to see the wanton look in his eyes or watch as his body arched up to Kurogane’s touch along the contours of his spine, as if he were pleading cat.

Kurogane let his hand slide up until he had pushed that nightshirt up to bunch up at the mage's shoulders. He smirked just a bit as he lowered himself and dragged his lips back down along his spine, using those attentions as a slight distraction as he slid his hand from Fai's heat around his hip and over his backside, rubbing just a bit.

Fai turned his head over his shoulder and watched as Kurogane curled over his body leaving kisses that burned and chilled him over his only too responsive flesh. Muscles tensed as Kurogane lowered down to the small of his back and Fai had to look away once more as his fingers curled against the smooth glass surface.

Kurogane used that time to lower his hand enough to press a finger against the other man's opening, just enough to apply a little pressure, but not enough to do much else. He smirked a bit against his back as he slid back up his body, dragging his tongue along his flesh, trying not to chuckle at the way the muscles moved beneath him. And while he did that, his unoccupied hand blindly reached for a small container on the side table by the window. It was a salve William had used to ease the burns a week or so ago, but it would have to do. 

He said nothing as he pulled his hand away from the mage and coated his fingers with the medicinal lotion, and without much warning except the fact that he pressed against his opening again, he pushed that coated finger into him, not saying a word.

“AH!” Fai’s arched his head back, startled at the intrusion but not unwelcoming towards it. The salve was chilled by the night air and it forced the mages body to constrict as he whimpered a tiny plea that never fully came to his lips. Everything about tonight was contradiction to what he thought he knew, everything was a contrast to what he was expecting. His chest hurt yet his body was trying to drown in pleasure, his brain was racing yet thoughts were evading his capture with languid ease. “Nne…”

"Shh." Kurogane moved that finger carefully, more carefully than would otherwise be expected given his rash temperament and his usually angry demeanor. After putting the container back on the table, he let that hand come to hold the other man's hip as steady as he could as he moved his finger in him. Part of him hoped the mage would be too taken by this to look over his shoulder again, mostly because if he looked, he would see the emotions the darker man was unable to control. The lust that swirled with loneliness. The desperation to do something that could be considered good. The need to protect himself from anything that could break through the walls he had spent the last year building.

Fai took two deep breaths as he lowered his head down below his arms, his hands gripping the cast iron support frames of the windows, finally finding purchase. Slowly his eyes focused up at the window, watching as his body started to move with the push of Kurogane’s fingers. He looked beyond their reflection until it blurred to the foreground. 

Outside, snow started to fall to the ground again, glinting like flecks of sliver as they caught the light of their room, instantly the flush grew on his cheeks realizing how exposed they were to the outside world. He was thankful that Kurogane’s home was set up on a secluded part of the village, but that didn’t stop him from thinking of the sight any unfortunate passerby may witness. He focused his eyes more inward and up at Kurogane’s face, and his complaint died on his lips. He saw those eyes, those dark burning eyes; saw the way they looked down at him now and his words failed him as his heart constricted even tighter. He suddenly knew what Kurogane needed him to be, at least for right now.

Tension left his body as he started to move on Kurogane’s fingers, strangled whimpers started to transform into delicate moans as he allowed pleasure to take over and everything else dissipated. “Aha.. nnm… th..there…” That lithe frame arched and move as if to urge the other man on. “It-it’s good.” Fai allowed the need to fill his voice as he concentrated only what Kurogane was making his body feel.

Once the other man started to respond a bit better, Kurogane used another finger, moving them both slowly and gently. He let his body relax a little when it looked like the mage wasn't going to turn around, so he didn't need to feel like everything was going to come apart if that happened. Instead he focused on the way the mage moved, and the soft little sounds that came from the other man. He leaned down so his body was pressed more against him, his lips at the back of his ear as he whispered, "Shh. They'll hear you."

Fai trembled at the voice in his ear, and nodded as he bit his lip against another moan. The feeling was becoming too much and he heard the iron bars protest as he pulled more against them, making the thin rods support more of his weight than they should. And why would they? He doubted the steelworker had this in mind for them when they were crafted.

"The only one who gets to hear you is me." Kurogane couldn't help it. He let his tongue come out and flicked against Fai's ear as he pulled his fingers out of him. And as he did so, he let go of his hip long enough to pull himself out of his trousers, grunting a little at the way the cooler air hit his heated flesh. He grabbed the mage's hips again, holding him steady as he guided himself into him, just as gently as he had moved his fingers moments earlier.

“Mmph!” Fai’s knees nearly gave way at the attention to his ear, his hands slipping from the window to come to the bench to help keep the mage standing. The lowered angle brought the night shirt up, and he was able to catch the cloth between his teeth to muffle the cry of Kurogane’s sex pressing into his body.

He gripped the other man's hips a little harder, but not hard enough to bruise, as he drove into him, quick thrusts that he did his best to keep from being too rough. He let out an almost silent groan as he set that pace, lifting himself a bit now that Fai had fallen forward a bit. Though he was careful not to push too much so that the mage's head wouldn't bang into the window.

The cloth in his mouth swallowed his voice as Fai braced himself against the bench, his fingers no longer able to grip into the unforgiving iron, now twisted into the confines of the blankets and furs that he had made into a bed. He felt the dull throb of once broken ribs start their protest, but it was quickly quelled as a wave of pleasure shot through his body.

Kurogane slid one hand from Fai's hip, up along his back again as he kept pace, moving in him as he had that time before, but also with a slight awkwardness and uneasiness that showed just how long it had been. So he held onto the other man and moved, bowing his head just slightly and biting his lip to keep any grunts or groans from sounding.

Gathering whatever sentient thoughts the mage had left, he started to guide the others movements. His hips smoothed their pace as his muffled moans started to change from desperate and frequent. He knew the other man was holding back, he could feel it in the way he moved inside of him, the way he struggled to find his own pace, and that’s when he turned once more.

Blond hair clung to the sweat caused by their exertion and fanned over rosy cheeks, the rush of blood accenting the cut along his jaw that marred an otherwise unblemished face. His sapphire eyes were darkened by his own need and focused up on the man. The cloth still held tightly between gritted teeth and flush swollen lips. His expression was not only of permission, but of desire. He wanted Kurogane to let go, he wanted to feel even just a fraction of what was inside of his partner, even if it was just that.

When Kurogane found himself staring into those blue eyes, something broke inside of him. He hadn't wanted Fai to see him like this, but here they were, gazes locked. His hips bucked as he lost control and struggled to regain it again. It was too much, and the hand he had on the mage's back slid up and gripped some of those blond strands that fell down the other man's neck. He held them, not sure if he was going to force the man to look away or keep looking at him, but his eyes narrowed a bit in an attempt to mask his feelings and keep them back behind his walls as his hips thrust forward with a bit more force.

Fai winced, more out of reflex than any actual pain, when his hair was pulled. Even like this Kurogane was gentler than he ought to be. Fai bit down harder on shirt as he thrust deeper into him, and then feeling the blinding crush of their bodies as he tightened around the other, finally reaching the precipice of pleasure. Slender hips pressed back against Kurogane, his body holding him as his release finished.

The bigger man let go when the mage released beneath him, his eyes closing the rest of the way, his hand going slack in that blond hair. The groan that escaped his lips was practically inaudible, and once that feeling had subsided, he quickly pulled out of Fai, though his hand remained on his hip.

When Kurogane pulled away, Fai’s legs finally gave out. He slumped forward, knees gently hitting the base of the window seat as his torso fell into the nest of blankets. His back rose and fell quickly as he breathed, the cloth slipping from his mouth. Red finger prints showed against his pale flesh, looking all the more vibrant into the now dying glow of the embers, his eyes unfocused as he tried to gather what remained of his thoughts.

Kurogane looked down at the body below him, watching the way the man's white flesh reflected the light as his chest heaved to catch his breath. He stared, almost as if he wasn't sure what he was supposed to do now. While it looked like Fai felt good throughout what had happened, there was this tiny little gnawing feeling at the back of Kurogane's mind that told him he shouldn't have done it. That in his desire to do something good, he had neglected something so very important. This world had taken its toll on him, and it had made him something he never wanted to be, and yet here he was, looking down at Fai, still feeling the stirrings of desire that he succumbed to just moments before, and all he could think about was pushing him away again. To protect himself. To protect everyone else.

With no small effort Fai pulled himself up to the window, limbs still trembling but finding their strength, he sat up, his head still bowed and face concealed by loose threads of blond, shining like molten gold in the red light of the hearth’s embers, until he tilted his head up, the fire no longer reaching him but instead he was basked in the light of the silver moon. The golden strands shifted into wisps of platinum, haloing him in its ethereal glow. For a long moment he looked up at Kurogane, before a gentle smile curved his lips and softened this elfin face. “How are you feeling? Better?”

The mage's words snapped him out of whatever thoughts he had been lost in, and he grunted a little before turning his back to him. He didn't want Fai to see the storm brewing. He didn't want him to see a lot of things. He stood there, his eyes now locking on the fire, or what was left of it. Without saying a word, he walked to the hearth and put a few more logs on, crouching in front of it and poking at it a bit until the wood caught and the room started to heat up again. There was no way he could answer Fai's question, anyway. Fai didn't understand.

When the other man turned away Fai allowed his head to drop. Had he said something wrong? Should he not have said anything at all? What was he expecting him to say any way? He sighed softly before he got up from the window, adjusting the night shirt around his body before he walked over to the table. The night before he had William bring up a bottle of wine and two classes, figuring Kurogane would like something to take the edge off for when he came home. Well he had been kind of right, but it wasn’t wine the man had needed.

He poured up two glasses and walked one over to other man, the stem held between long fingers as he lowered it too him. “Here.”

Kurogane only tore his gaze away from the flames when Fai walked over to him. He looked up at him and studied him for a moment, but he still didn't say anything even as he took the glass from him and drank a little. The liquid burned a little on the way down, and he realized it was one of the only things he had ingested in the past five days. He finished it off and leaned back until he was no longer crouching by the fire but sitting on the floor, once again staring at the flames as they danced over the wood. "Are you cold?" It was such a simple question, but it was the only thing he could think of at a time like this.

“No, I’m okay.” Fai looked the other over carefully, his hand reaching down to stroke over the edge of Kurogane’s face with the back of gentle fingers before taking his chin and guiding his head back up to him. Unspoken words passed over his eyes, but all he did was smile warmly. “The bath is still ready for you. And while you do that I’ll prepare something from the kitchen.” He started to step away.

Kurogane grabbed his hand and prevented him from moving more than only a step away. He held him, not too hard so as to hurt him, but hard enough to keep him from breaking free of his grip just yet. The mage had to know, right? That something inside of him wasn't right, and that there were things warring that he didn't even understand. "Don't leave." His voice was softer than he intended, but the purpose was still there. He still needed to feel something good, and Fai going to the kitchen would dash that.

“Alright.” Was all the mage whispered in reply as he moved and kneeled down behind him, his arms wrapping around his shoulders as his chin rested against one broad shoulder. It was all he could do for now. He couldn’t envelope Kurogane the way he could do so for him. He didn’t have strong arms that were meant to keep the dangerous world at bay. He didn’t have a muscular chest that would allow the ninja to curl up to. No, Fai’s body wasn’t built like that. He was strong, yes, with a lean build that might have been gangly on another man, but Fai was gentle, graceful, and what he could do with his body, he had learned he could do with just a smile, or his words. So as he hugged the man, he nuzzled his shoulder and left one soft kiss through the clothes where metal met flesh. “I won’t leave you. You have me, for as long as you need me.”

Kurogane sat there letting Fai hold him without complaint. He closed his eyes and tried to feel the warmth that the other man was giving him, but as much as he yearned for it, he just couldn't feel it yet. He knew Fai was trying, but it just wasn't working. After a few minutes, he shook his head and opened his eyes again. "You need a bath too." He said, his voice much firmer than it had been the last time he spoke.

His body stiffened, slightly and he closed his eyes. “If that’s what you want.” He stood up, his arms slowly letting go of him and dragging gently through the other’s hair as he stepped backwards. “We can bathe together if you want.”

The larger man's eyes closed slightly with the fingers in his hair, but he rose just as the mage did, his hand reaching to grab the other man's wrist once more. "Yes."

Fai didn’t fight him as he was pulled. Frankly he was shocked that Kurogane was so eager to go with him, but after it all the mage found himself feeling too lethargic to question it any more than he already had.

Kurogane only let go of the mage long enough to check the water and make sure it was warm enough before he looked at him again. "You get in first. I still have to undress."

“I can help,” He moved his hand up the ninja’s arm, nimble fingers starting to make swift work of the ties on the other’s clothes as they came around his chest.

"You might not like what you see." But Kurogane didn't stop him when those fingers started untying the knots. He didn't push him away even as the shirt fell from his shoulders, revealing perfectly healed flesh with only the faintest markings from the old scars. He just looked down at the other man as his arms were exposed, fully healed. It was only his back that still had the wounds and scars from this world. The rest that had shocked Fai the first night were now all gone.

“Wha, how?” Fai stepped away, his fingers going to his lips as he looked over the fresh new skin. “Five days can’t do this.” He mused aloud in his shock. The last time he’d seen Kurogane’s body it was latticed with injuries. A healer perhaps? No, he would have felt the remnants of that. He could ask the ninja again, but he knew the response would be a grunt, anger, or aggravating silence. “At least it doesn’t hurt any more, right?” He betrayed his thoughts with his own words. It was a talent he’d given up for a while, but like an old glove, it was easy to slip on again.

"I stopped feeling the pain from it months ago." Kurogane muttered and looked at him. "I can't tell you how it happened. Just know it happened and be satisfied with that. If you won't be satisfied because you're aggravating and need to ask four thousand questions, fake being satisfied because you won't get an answer from me." He stepped back away from the other man and worked on unfastening his pants himself, though he was careful not to turn and show him his still badly damaged back.

“It’s what I’m good at, right?” Fai mumbled under his breath as he pulled off the borrowed night shirt, catching it before it touched the ground and placing it in the basket. Sullenly he stepped into the bath and sank down, hissing softly as the water touched his more sensitive and recently ravaged skin, hands gripping the edge of the wooden bath, lowering his body down further.

"One of the things, yes." Kurogane watched him as he dropped his pants and waited for him to get settled. "But this is an issue you just can't push."

“I know, I’ve picked up on that,” Fai didn’t bother to hide the bitter tone in his voice as he rested his head across his folded arms, the starting throb in his lower back making him wish he hadn’t left the wine across the room. It was one of nature’s better pain killers after all.

Kurogane frowned a bit, but he otherwise said nothing as he carefully got into the bath behind the mage and looked at his back. For a moment, he sat there and looked, but soon he reached out and touched that flesh in front of him, brows furrowing slightly as he rubbed just a little. It was either an attempt to let Fai know that he just couldn't tell him, or to ease the pain the other man was sure to feel. He wasn't sure himself.

That touch, sweet and gentle as it was, had made Fai’s body move to it as if he were a neglected cat finally getting much needed attention from its owner. His agitation melted away and he couldn’t even be bothered to care. He turned, the heat of the bath flushing otherwise ivory cheeks as he slipped between Kurogane’s legs, his arms wrapping about his waist as his head came to his shoulder. He had been wrong before. He wasn’t pathetic. He was damn weak.

Kurogane tensed for a moment. He was sure Fai would feel the welts and scars on his back with the way he was holding him, but he had to force himself not to worry about it. So he wrapped his arms around the other man. It wasn't something he would have done five days ago, but today, now, it was something he needed to do. If Fai was soaking up what little affection Kurogane let himself show, he could try to let himself show just a little more, at least while no one else was watching.

Feeling Kurogane tense, Fai closed his eyes. “It’s okay, I won’t try anything funny again. Just let me be like this for a moment.” His voice had become softer.

"That wasn't it." Kurogane shook his head a little, though he was careful with the way Fai had his on his shoulder.

“Hmn?” Came Fai’s whispered reply.

Kurogane glanced down at the other man. He tightened his arms around him just a little, but not enough to hurt him. "Nothing..."

“Not..mmh..” The thin body in the ninja’s arms shifted and sunk more against him as the words leaving the mage’s mouth turned into even breaths as sleep took hold.


	4. Resolve

Fai shifted, sleep slowly banishing itself from his body. There was a weight against his hips and a gentle pressure on his back. What was that? An arm? And a hand? They were loose and certainly not inhibiting movement, but they might as well have been 10 ton weights for the amount of effort Fai was willing to put forward to dislodge himself from under them. 

With regret he opened his eyes, ridding himself of the last visage of rest, and as the world came into focus, he found himself staring into the sleeping face of his ninja. A laugh huffed once past bit chapped lips. ‘His.’ Yeah, nothing about this man belonged to him. If anything ever had, it had been taken away in his year spent in this wretched place. Last night was what it was; Kurogane needed something from him, and all Fai could do was supply it, at least for now. He wasn’t going to mope around about it, after all he got pleasure out of it too. He’d been around long enough to understand at least that much, and it wasn’t like Fai was begging him to stop. It was nice, for the bestial release that it was. Fai was a simple creature when it came to pleasure. Please the body and worry about the mind later. The heart, well he hadn’t worried about that for a long time. At least not until he met Kurogane and not for a while after that. When you know you have to kill someone, the heart tends to keep itself closed off, unless the other person was persistent, stubborn, and tenacious to a fault. 

So now, here he was on the other side of that conundrum, and it was aggravating as hell! What would Kurogane have done? He knew that answer. He knew it all too well. Kurogane whittled him down and bent him until he broke. Then forced himself to put the pieces back together again. Those first few months after the death (if you could call it that) of Fei Wong were tenuous at best. When the smoke cleared, it had started to sink in. What they had done, what ‘he’ had done. Despite power and strength, Fai was still just a human. And a fragile one at that. He mourned for the lost world, he mourned for the man who raised him, trained him, and who only wished to save him, and he mourned for the hurt he caused the people who were always at his side. Particularly the one with him now. 

Fai lifted a hand to stroke over Kurogane’s cheek. He had always been there. Whenever Fai’s thoughts wondered down a dangerous path, or whenever his heart felt like it was about to sink, Kurogane was there like it was some sort of sixth sense. Standing over his shoulder, a firm hand on his arm, and a stern look that would always challenge the mage. Well now it was his turn. Whatever it took.

The darkness was heavy, and it lingered when it lifted. Kurogane felt the pressure against his cheek, slight as it was, and his eyelids fought against his body's desire to remain asleep. They opened slowly, blinking once to clear the haze from his vision, but otherwise he did not move. Not yet. Instead he stared at the mage directly in front of him. He watched his blue eyes as they seemed to search his own red ones. He watched the slight twitches of his lips or his eyelids. The way the limited light seemed to illuminate his already pale flesh.

But he said nothing. He just remained as he was, body turned towards the other man, arm still half draped over his body.

When Fai found himself looking into those blood colored eyes, his heart jumped up to his throat, like he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t. But he didn’t pull his hand away, instead he pushed a few black strands out of Kurogane’s eyes and hooked them behind his ear. “It’s gotten long. I can cut it for you, if you want.”

"Doesn't matter." Kurogane's eyes followed the other man's hand as he pushed the hair out of his face. He didn't pull away, or frown or anything. "Is it bad?"

“No, but I know how you are about little annoyances,” Fai smiled softly as he pulled his hand back, noting he was still held in Kurogane’s arms. “I fell asleep on you last night, I don’t even remember getting out of the bath. Sorry about that,”

"You were tired. That can't be helped." When Fai pulled his hand away, Kurogane shifted and sat up, running his hand over his face as if that would wipe away the rest of the drowsiness. Normally he was up and ready to go, but after so many nights without any sleep, and expending as much energy as he did, being lethargic wasn't all that uncommon. "I will have William bring up some food."

“Still,” Fai said watching with lazy eyes as the other man sat up. It was interesting how he had taken the time to make sure Fai had been dressed before laying him down, but Kurogane hadn’t bothered to do it himself. And now it was all he could do to keep his eyes from wondering over that bare back; Broad, muscled, and scarred as it was but not in the way it should have been. There was a bitter sweetness in that. Fai was happy all those wounds were gone, but concerned with why they went away.

“Kur-“ He stopped remembering himself. “Steelsama,” He still hated that name, he cleared his throat and tried again. “Steelsama, when do you leave again?”

He knew he told the other man to use that fake name, but now, after last night, it just felt so wrong. He shook his head a little and turned to look at him, the blankets shifting and pooling in his lap. Part of him wanted to tell him to stop saying that word, but the other part of him knew they had to keep it up for a very specific reason he couldn't actually divulge. "Not for at least four days."

“So, we could just stay here for four days,” Fai’s smile bowed his lips. He knew it wasn’t a realistic request, but he was enjoying the current mood between them, and he would ease them into more serious conversation later. He just wanted to enjoy this for now. Whatever ‘this’ was.

"And do what, exactly?" Kurogane shook his head. "Fuck and sleep?" He couldn't help the slight snort he released in lieu of a chuckle. It was almost incredulous to think they could spend four days as if nothing else was going on. But for a fleeting moment, things almost felt as they did before that previous world. Well, without the naked in bed after sex thing, anyway.

Fai’s smile widened, and his eyes glinted with a hint of delight. “Doesn’t sound all bad, does it?” He stretched with a feline arch before he sat up. The night shirt fell to one side of the mage’s shoulder, allowing a peek at the pale flesh it covered. Impassioned bruises seemed all the darker against the white skin of his neck and collar.

The other man would have had no real way of knowing just what that view did to Kurogane. The guilt almost immediately set in when he saw the bruised flesh. Despite knowing that Fai enjoyed the attentions, it was almost too much. In some way, he had hurt the other man, and that had never been his intention. He shook his head once and slid off the bed. "You wouldn't be able to walk if that happened." He tried to mask the darkness as it started to creep up on him once again. He wouldn't let the other man know. He couldn't.

“I’m not so delicate,” Fai smirked but noted the shift in the mood. It was subtle but the air just got a little harder to breathe. “So, what do you want to do then?” He stood up, lower back a little sore, legs a little stiff, but it wasn’t anything that couldn’t be managed with the most minuscule of effort.

"Want to do? There isn't anything in particular." That wasn't exactly true, but there was nothing Kurogane wanted to do that he could express well at the moment. Not when he felt himself sinking into that hole he only just managed to peek out of the night before. He walked to his wardrobe and grabbed a robe, pulling it on and looking over his shoulder at him.

“Hmm,” Fai came up alongside the other man, taking a moment before grabbing a red tunic. It wasn’t in his usual range of preferred colors, but he wasn’t going to be picky today. He dressed quickly and tied a midnight sash around his waist. He opted to leave his hair down to strategically hide any marks the tunic’s high collar couldn’t cover. “Well, I’ll be up for anything. Particularly if you can take me out of the house.”

"Why would I take you out of the house?" Kurogane looked at him as he finished tying the knot to keep his robe closed. While he didn't particularly care if he was seen naked, he figured he'd save the kids the displeasure of seeing him strut around. He couldn't help it when his eyes moved down the other man's form much as they had the night before.

“So I can get the lay of the area, go to a tavern, you can show me around the village. I’m not asking to go out alone. You’d be with me,” Fai said as he sat down on the edge of the table, legs crossing at his ankles.

"No." It was a simple enough answer, and Kurogane actually did try to keep from being curt about it, but he couldn't help it. His tone had shifted, and his lips curled into a frown. "You can't leave."

Fai sighed softly and walked over to him, his hand touching his arm tenderly. “Still? Even if you’re with me? Why not?”

"It's too dangerous." He didn't pull away from the mage, but he didn't stop frowning at him either. "I said that before."

“Yes, you’ve said that, but what are you protecting me from? What’s stopping it from coming here?” Honest concern filled those eyes.

"No one comes here." Kurogane grunted a little and turned his head to the side. "It's the only place no one comes." He couldn't look at him now. "I will tell William to get something to eat." And with that he yanked himself away from the other man and headed to the door.

Fai gripped his sleeve with deceptively strong fingers. “You don’t get to do that. After everything, you’re not allowed to do that." He slipped his hand to grab his wrist instead of the cloth. “If you suffer, we all suffer. If you don't think I'm owed anything, that's fine. I can understand that. But then do it for the boy.”

Kurogane stopped when that hand gripped his sleeve, but he kept himself turned away from the other man as he struggled to swallow the anger that was welling up inside of him. "Is that what you think? That I owe you?" He practically spat out the words. "That I'm causing you to suffer? So I _owe_ you?" He continued to keep himself turned away. "When have I ever pushed suffering onto you to save me from it?"

Fai shook his head, not letting up on his grip. “You don’t remember those words all those years ago? Do you? You all tried to tell me, but I didn’t see it then, I didn’t understand it until it was almost too late to change anything. We’re all in this whole mess together. Mokona, Syaorankun, Watanuki, you, and me. Remember?” Those eyes were desperate and wide. “You don’t owe me anything. But your pain is our pain, and their pain,” Fai nodded his head to the door as if the other three were right on the other side. “You don’t have to do any of this on your own. I’ve told you that before.”

"Of course I remember, but that was then and this is something completely different." Kurogane barely turned his head to look at him, the frown deepening. "I've been doing this on my own for a year. Don't think that just because you're here now that it's going to change." He yanked his arm away from the other man and scowled just a bit more. "This is bigger than you, or them. It's bigger than all of us." He shook his head and turned away once more. "If you can't see that I'm protecting you, then you're an idiot."

“You don’t always have to be the one!” Fai stepped back, fists balled at his side. “How much have you taken on because of us? Because of me? Like in Tokyo when you took that hit from Syoarankun and in Telam…” There was a pause. “Your arm. Those were all for me. How could I not see that? You give yourself time and time again.” His foot tapped repeatedly on the floor with the nervous unease of a man trapped. But then he sprang into action. In a sudden motion he had Kurogane’s arm and whirled him around, anger flashing in his eyes as he pushed him up against the wall, an arm held against his chest. Muscles that were usually loose and languid were taut and pulled tight like an archer's bow. Sapphires continued to burn even as his expression softened.

“You don’t make deals with the Witch but the world takes its payments one way or another. And my life is carved into your body. But you’re more than that.” He raised his hand once more to Kurogane’s cheek, and he tried the words one more time. “I love you. Why can’t you see that?” The words were soft, barely a broken whisper from his lips, and as if they carried with them a spell of their own, the fire in the mage’s eyes died down to desperate embers.

Normally Kurogane would have resisted when Fai tried to turn him like that, but he just didn't have the energy, so he allowed himself to be pushed back against the wall. When he looked at the mage, there was a resignation in his eyes that he was sure Fai would recognize, but when those words came and echoed in his ears, he dropped his gaze and bowed his head enough to rest his forehead on the other man's shoulder. He remained silent for a moment, not once moving his head. When he did finally speak, his voice was soft, but there was just a slight hint of anger and pain mixed in with sadness. "It's...because you never looked at me." He managed. "Because you never saw anything. Even now, you don't see me." He shook his head as much as the position would allow. "You're getting upset with me because I won't let you suffer, but you don't know what that means, do you?" He sighed and lifted his forehead from the mage's shoulder, looking at him a moment before gently pushing him back.

"Did you ever once stop to think that, just maybe, it's because of those words that I'm insisting on this? I can't allow myself to believe you. If I do, it'll all be over."

Fai’s arms moved as if to hold the bigger man, as if all he wanted to do was to bury his face in his hair and whisper to him gentle platitudes. But that’s all they would have been, more empty promises. Yet his lips continued to move, driven my instinct even though no words came out. He stayed where Kurogane had pushed him, his hand clasping on to the one at his shoulder. When he looked up at the other man he held nothing back. He wanted him to see it all. He wanted him to read everything he was in that moment. Not letting him suffer? Fai would have laughed outright at that if he didn’t think it would have made matters worse. Watching unseen forces rip apart your lover and taking their pound of flesh ounce by painful ounce was something that tore at a person’s heart.

Fai couldn't possibly have known what that look did to Kurogane. Somewhere he knew he was going about this all wrong, but he didn't know what to do. And he still didn't know what to do as those sapphire eyes bore into him. It was too much, and even as he tried to focus on something he could control. On some speck of anger, or some twinge of pain that would set him straight, he couldn't do it. All he could do was think about those eyes, about the warmth that clutched at his hand, and it broke something inside him. Some wall that he had so desperately been trying to keep up. 

He blurted it out then. Almost as if he hadn't even thought about it, and the words just came out on their own. "I can't exist without you."

“You don’t have to,” As Fai spoke he turned the hand he clutched, opening the palm of it as he brought up to his face. Pink lips nuzzled the calloused skin. His eyes closed, saving Kurogane any more pain from their sapphire torment and he relished the feel of his words. Allowing them to wash over him. It wasn’t an outright proclamation of love, and Fai hadn’t been expecting that, but from the ninja it was all he needed. “And I won’t let you. You’ve been without me long enough right? I’ll make this right. I’m not sure how, but I’ll figure it out.”

"Then don't fight me on this." Kurogane watched the other man before he shook his head and slowly detached himself from him. It was too much. He could feel the slow burn start within his body, and if he pushed it anymore, it would flare. He turned his head away so he could force his expression back into that slightly disgruntled, but very normal look.

“Alright,” Fai withdrew and took one step back to give the other the space he needed. Fai had pushed him enough. “For now. I can’t make it too easy for you. That just wouldn’t be my style, right?” He teased.

"No, I guess it wouldn't be." The larger man kept his head turned away from him. The banter was normal, and at any other moment, Kurogane would have been able to appreciate it more, but not now. Not in this moment. The heat had intensified. He had already said too much. He should have had more control, but the mage's reappearance in his life had thrown all of that discipline out the window. Months of forcing pain down. Months of keeping the walls up and the barriers thick. Months of steeling himself against onslaught after onslaught. And all it took was a look, a word, a touch, and those defenses crumbled. And now he was feeling it more intensely than he had ever felt, save for those first two or three weeks a year ago. "Tch." Was all he managed to grit out between his teeth before he abruptly stepped away from the other man, turning his back to him.

“S-steelsama?” Fai blinked a few times, a hand reaching out to Kurogane’s shoulder.

He hunched over just slightly, enough to pull the robe taut against his back, which only caused him to hiss a bit as the fabric rubbed against the now raw skin. Those marks and welts that never truly healed opened up as the heat surged through him, blood seeping through and soaking into the fabric of the robe. He clenched his eyes shut as the smell hit his nose.

“Hey!” The mage rushed forward and without a second thought he had his hand against the ninja’s shoulder, his voice cool, and calm, belying the panic inside. “The bed. Come on.”

"Don't touch it..." He forced out through gritted teeth. Luckily he still had his robe on his shoulders, but he knew his skin would be too hot for the other man, or at least it felt that way. He clenched his fists and remained hunched over for a moment before he was able to at least push enough of that heat aside to turn and move slowly towards that bed, each step more painful than the one before it. He barely made it to the edge before he fell onto it, face first.

At the man’s request Fai kept his hands away from him, only holding the space around him as he made his way to the bed. If he fell, the least he could do was attempt to catch him.

The shift in the room had been ominous the second Kurogane first lurched forward. Fai felt it like a squalid invasion into his body. The twisting in his stomach had returned, only this time it was reinforced with nausea and every part of his being begged to extrude it. It wasn’t human instinct that drove the sensation, it was very essence of his magic. It wanted to him run, it wanted him to hide, and it wanted him to be away from the source of this repulsion as quickly as possible. Only that source laid in front of him. His magic screamed, even has he lifted his hands to touch the air above Kurogane to feel the heat from his fevered flesh. “Can you move? Take this robe off. I’ll get a cloth and see to those wounds. I won’t touch anything, directly.”

"No..." Kurogane groaned into the pillow. What he was saying no to, he wasn't too sure. He just clenched his eyes shut and kept himself laying like that, breathing a bit ragged as he tried to concentrate on something other than the heat.

“You don’t really have a choice,” Fai whispered. If Kurogane couldn’t do it, then he would. “Here, careful now,” His tone was soft but his commands absolute. He started to pull the robe down. Like the first night, his back was bloody mesh of raw meat. Fai had to swallow hard against several of the emotions that were toiling and knotting inside of him. He stepped away and allowed the drafty castle air cool the flesh as he gathered up a basket of clean towels and a basin of fresh water.

Kurogane hissed again when the cooler air hit his raw and heated flesh, but he did not struggle. Even as the other man stepped away, he did not move. Maybe this would help. Maybe the heat would stop tormenting him and give in to the chill in the air. But this was more than a simple warning. Not like those weeks when he was defiant and he was warned into submission. This was much worse. This was a threat.

“Almost done,” Fai wasn’t sure why he kept talking. If it was to reassure himself it didn’t seem to be working, if it was to give something for Kurogane to focus on, he was pretty sure that was a lost cause at this point, but still he kept on as he walked back to the bed. “I mixed some of that salve into the water. It might sting a little at first, but that should only last a second.”

Fai fully submerged the first towel into the water, rung it out, and gently placed it flat on the ninja’s back. He was careful to not touch any of the flesh as he smoothed the cloth over the broad expanse before repeating the gesture with a second.

The combination of the cold and the wet made the blood on Kurogane's back hiss just slightly, like hot metal being forced to cool much too quickly. He groaned a bit at the sensation, and the heat subsided momentarily, but then it seemed to push back in full force. This time, the burning moved beyond his back. It went lower, and he shifted a bit as the pain spread.

Fai took a step back, red steam lifted from the towels, curling in the air like a crimson fog. “What in the…” His eyes narrowed in challenge at the wisps as he stepped forward again. “I’m sorry.” He apologized softly to Kurogane and pulled the robe the rest of the way down the man’s body, tossing it aside. He looked over the newly exposed skin only to confirm what he already knew would be there. He had been wrong the other night when he figured the source of his repulsion had been from Kurogane’s weapon and he chided himself for missing something so obvious.

A curse, born of blood and carved of pain, branded the back of Kurogane’s thigh. Fai knew the symbol. Alchemic in meaning, but demonic in nature. A pathway that can be torn open, even into a person’s soul. 

It was an ancient practice in Celes, and only wizards with a fascination in the macabre even bothered looking into it. It was the perfect playground for a boy who wanted to learn how to raise the dead. Ashura had quickly put a stop to any further education in the matter, and Fai had all but forgotten it, until now. It was staring back at him, blood red and burning. Three points of a devils fork pointed up with the left most curling in and the one on the right continuing downward, a part of it branching off to make a half finished ‘h’. The gentle swirls of the mark made the essence seem all the more ominous. And each line looked as if they had just been freshly carved deep into the flesh. Fai thought that he could see bone in the mess of red.

Forgetting himself, Fai had reached out to it. Slender fingers wanting to soothe the tormented skin. He touched an arrow point, and hot white pain clouded his vision. He jerked his hand back, his fingers numb their tips and tingling as if he’d just touched molting iron. Flesh and nerves seared away by fire.

"AH!" 

He had never cried out like that before. Not when he took blow after blow in a fight. Not when he had cut his own arm off, or when that imitation one had been forced into his flesh. Not when the carving was first made. But that touch from that cold finger sent stabbing pains throughout his body, and the entire thing burned as if on fire. Never before had anything felt so much like death than that one little touch. He gritted his teeth and he clutched at the sheets beneath him and did his best to fight off the pain, but there was nothing he could do in that moment. Nothing, even as blood started to drip out of his mouth and nose. 

“Kurogane?!” Fai reached out again but the cold realization hit him hard before he could make any further contact with the man. He caused it. Everything he did made Kurogane’s suffering worse. He stood there, numb as he watch his lover’s agony. He was frozen until the weight of his ineptitude sunk his knees to the floor. The ninja would have to ride it out on his own. 

“I’m sorry.” Fai whispered brokenly. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry...” He sat with his back against the bed, knees pulled up to his chest. “I’m so sorry.”

"S...Stop..." Kurogane managed, somehow willing his body to move so that he could turn his head enough to see the mage. He unclenched one fist from the sheet and lifted that hand a little to reach out for him. "This. You can touch this." There were tears in his eyes, but as stubborn as he was, he forced them back, his breath coming in less ragged gasps than before.

A trembling hand, scared and timid, made contact with the offered one. The touch was reluctant at first, and the grip was hesitant, even as the blond shifted against the side of the bed so he could see the ninja's blood streaked face. In contrast, pristine crystalline tears fell freely down Fai’s fey-like features. “How,” His voice cracked before he forced the words out. “how long?”

Kurogane clutched at Fai's hand and held it tightly, not enough to hurt the other man, but enough so that the mage would know he needed him. The heat slowly began to subside after that spike, and his breathing came a bit easier. Still, it was several minutes before he was able to fully comprehend the question asked. "Since the day I was pulled here." He managed, speaking slowly, but more normally than before. The burning on the back of his thigh persisted, but he could feel the wounds on his back cool, and he knew the bleeding had finally stopped.

Fai looked away for a moment before he slowly turned back. Something darker now laced under the pain in his eyes, but the mage never quiet let it reach the surface. “I’ll fix it.” He promised softly. “Somehow.” There was one surefire way to break a curse. To kill the one who cast it. It was the simplest way, the quickest way. He mage bowed his head against their hands, hiding the expression from Kurogane as he felt those darker feelings twist and turn inside of him.

The silence that stretched between them after Fai's declaration felt like it was much longer than it actually was, but Kurogane couldn't help the sense of dread that came over him in that moment. There was nothing he could do right now, not with the heat still pulsing in his body, but he still had to protect the other man as best he could. "Do you remember what I said to you earlier?"

That blond head nodded against his hand, still not lifting it to meet Kurogane’s eyes. “You can’t exist without me.”

"Then...don't do anything rash that would get you taken away from me. One year was bad enough. The rest of it will kill me."

More silence filled the room before Fai lifted his head. The mage had spent a life time learning how to subdue emotions, and he managed to do so now. He swallowed down the rage that rolled with in him. He forced it to sit with the nauseating twisting of his stomach, and while it had left its mark in his gaze, he wouldn’t pay it any attention right now. “I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

"Aa." He knew the mage meant it as much as he could mean it, but Kurogane wasn't sure he could believe it just yet. Not with the killing intent that had just radiated from the other man. "Thank you." But he would go along with it for now. He didn't have any energy to fight him on it.

“How is it?” Fai asked, switching the subject off him as he stroked his thumb gently over Kurogane’s knuckles. “Should I call for William?”

"No. Don't. Neither of the kids need to see this..." Kurogane pointedly ignored the first question. The burning was subsiding, and now it was just an even, dull throb.

"What should I do then?" One soft cheek laid upon their hands.

"Stay with me..." Kurogane's eyelids drooped as he murmured out the last words. There was only so much he could force right now, and staying awake after such a fit wasn't one of them.

A smile made a cupid's bow of the mage's lips. "Rest, okay? I'll be right here when you wake up."

"Hmmm..." Kurogane's arm went a bit limp, though it was awkward with the way it half hanged off the bed. His breathing became a bit more even as sleep took over.

When he was sure the man was asleep, Fai untangled their fingers as he carefully bent his arm back up to the bed. Leaning over Kurogane, he pulled the blankets up around him, making sure he was covered against the once helpful draft. A long heavy sigh escaped the mage after he pulled a chair up against the bed’s edge and he sunk back into its plush covering. He winced as his fingers scraped against an embroidered edge. “The hell?”

He brought his hand up to his face, his eyes narrowed as they inspected his index and middle finger. Angry blisters festered up against black and red singed flesh. These were the only parts of him to make direct contact with the symbol. Fai’s jaw tightened as his eyes became hardened shards. The fire in the hearth roared up as if feeding off his anger. It was one thing to hurt another physically, to leave a wound. Wounds heal. But it was another thing entirely to attack a person’s soul, to mark them as cattle. The edges of Fai’s lips twisted up as he stared down at the wounded fingers before something snapped in the fire place, forcing the mage to lose focus. He sighed, slumping forward, his head resting on the bed as looked over Kurogane’s sleeping form and placed his hand over his before he whispered softly. “This time, I’ll save you.”


	5. Truth

The soreness was the first thing that pushed through and brought him to consciousness. His whole body felt like it was being drawn into the bed, the fabrics swallowing him as he just let that feeling come over him. The burning sensation was completely gone, but his muscles ached and cried out for some sort of relief.

He slowly opened his eyes and tried to focus on the room. He was still laying on his stomach, his arm on the bed close to where he had reached out for Fai the night before. He could no longer feel those thinner fingers curled around his, and so he attempted to move, trying to let the other man know he was awake, but his muscles refused to obey his brain. 

Without lifting his head, he tried to focus through his blurred vision enough to find the mage. As the haze lifted, he looked at him, at the way he was just sitting in the chair, staring at nothing, but probably looking at everything at the same time. The killing intent from the night before had subsided a bit, but there was still something there that was just off. Whether Fai was angry at him or not, he didn't know, but surely the other man understood why Kurogane couldn't say anything. 

So he tried to move again, this time managing to get his body to turn just slightly, so his hand could reach out and grip the other man, his eyes locked on him, waiting for some sort of response.

“Mn?” Fai lifted his chin from his knees, letting his feet slip down to the floor. It took a second for him to pull back from the maze inner thoughts but when he did he looked down at the ninja. “Hey,” He whispered as if anything louder than a breath would break the man.

"Hey..." Kurogane's voice was raspy, as though he hadn't spoken in days. But his throat didn't hurt, despite how painful it must have sounded. He made no other move just yet, as his body wouldn't allow it while his back and legs ached. At least he could see the mage, and right now that was all he needed. However, he knew there was something off, and with the distance that had just cleared from Fai's eyes, he knew what it was. "You didn't sleep...did you?"

“No,” He answered honestly with a shake of his head, causing golden strands to toss over weary eyes. "How could I?"

"I don't know." He would have shrugged if he could, but for now he focused on the mage and on the contact of their hands. "Are you angry with me?"

“A bit,” Even with that being said, there wasn't even the barest hint of anger in Fai’s voice as he held the other’s hand again. “But you weren't given many choices, were you? Not with something like that.” His thumb moved over the ninja’s knuckles. “You… you don’t have to answer that.”

Kurogane watched him carefully. The idea that the mage was angry with him stung more than he would admit, but the soothing motion of his thumb over the back of his hand was enough to keep him from reacting to that. He knew Fai understood. Fai made it perfectly clear with that line of questioning, but it was a little too much for him, so he tried to find something else to focus on. He opened his mouth to suggest that Fai lay with him a bit, but then he saw his other hand bandaged and in his lap. "What happened?" He knew the answer, but he asked anyway.

“Just a burn,” Fai showed him his damaged fingers. They were expertly wrapped in the way that only Fai could. “Don’t worry about it, Steelsama wouldn't forgive me if I complained about something as tiny as this.” He pushed a lighter tone into his voice.

"It burned you..." The ninja knew that was the answer, and he vaguely remembered that actually happening and the pain that seared through his body at the time, but seeing the physical proof of it caused a wave of guilt to wash over him. He closed his eyes and sighed, no longer able to look at the other man as he didn't want him to see that turmoil. It was his fault, after all, that the mage was injured and hurting in ways he absolutely comprehended more than he was willing to admit.

“I burned myself,” Fai corrected as he watched him. “You told me not to touch any of it, and I did. You can hardly be held responsible for that.”

"I wasn't blaming me. I was blaming it." Kurogane opened his eyes and grunted a little, his voice starting to sound a bit stronger, a feeling matched in his muscles as he was able to roll himself completely onto his side to look at the mage better. "I can't keep you a secret anymore."

A fine brow arched up. “Oh?”

"You touched it. He knows." He gritted his teeth a little and forced a slight sting of pain back. "I'll fix it."

“If he knows, let me face him.” That bitterness started to roll again inside the mage, and with it came the throb in his fingers

"Only if you want to kill me." Kurogane looked at him, the turmoil he hid earlier was back in full force.

The hand that held onto Kurogane’s twitched before his shoulders slumped. They were treading on dangerous ground, and Fai didn't want to relive the last few hours, so he let it all melt away. All the hate, rage, and bitterness dissolved in to simulacrum of obedience. “Okay,” He whispered.

"This is something I can fix." Kurogane looked at him. "And it can give you a little more freedom, but you have to trust me." He slowly sat up, hissing a little as his muscles moved a bit more than they were ready to, but it was a mild feeling that he could push through.

"Hey!" Instantly Fai was at Kurogane's side, sitting on the edge of the bed to catch him, but he froze before he could touch him, his hand halting in the air. "Be careful."

Something about the way Fai's hand stopped just before contacting his skin made Kurogane's blood run cold. Not because he blamed the other man for being paranoid, but because he knew why he was. So he reached out and grabbed his arms, looking at him steadily. "The only place you can't touch is that one." He hoped it was enough. He didn't think he could handle rejection now, after all of it.

Fai’s whole body went rigid when he was touched. Holding a hand was one thing, but this? Instinct and memory wanted him to push away and get up from the bed as quickly as possible before he could do anything more to hurt this man. “I...” In that moment he knew he looked lost, and hopeless. “I don’t want to hurt you anymore.” He slacked and bowed his head below their arms.

"You won't." Kurogane held him like that for a moment, allowing Fai some time to realize that their contact wasn't painful. But then he pulled him up and in, holding that smaller frame against his chest, his lips coming to the top of his head and whispering against his hair. "Unless you leave me, you won't hurt me."

Fai’s head shook once as he was pulled in to the other's broad chest. Instantly overwhelmed by the scent of blood, sweat, and iron, but under all of that was something else he knew. Something comforting, a touch of fresh air, spiced with agar wood. Fai had never known it until he met the man. It was a scent that had been Kurogane's own, taken with him from the temples and shines in Nihon. The mage locked onto it, and eased himself more into Kurogane’s hold.

Kurogane's arms remained around the mage, his lips still in his hair as he closed his eyes. He didn't know how much time had passed as they sat there in silence, but he was content to hold the other man as long as he needed.

“Are you sure this doesn't hurt?” Fai tilted his head up, the sunlight over his face nearly blinding until his eyes adjusted.

"Yes. It doesn't hurt." He looked down at him and his lips twitched a little, as if he were going to smile.

“Okay.” Fai's lower lip protruded out in a subtle pout. He lowered his head back into the man's chest. He knew he would have to let go soon and allow Kurogane to face his tormentor alone. It was selfish of him, but he just wanted time to stop, just as it was. The man had mentioned getting Fai some freedom, but if Kurogane could just hold him like this, he didn't need any of that. Who cared about being able to roam around freely in a village, when he could just curl up here. But the man had to leave and Fai would have his own work to do. He untucked his head and looked back up into Kurogane's eyes, lower lip still slightly out.

“Before, you said now that he knew, I would have some freedom. What did you mean by that?”

It had been an offhanded comment earlier, but as he suspected, Fai caught it, and now he had no choice but to be direct. "I wouldn't let you leave because I didn't want him finding you. Now he knows someone is here." He shook his head a little and looked down at the man in his arms. The pout was enough to drive him crazy, but he would push it back for now. "I have to convince him I got rid of the one who touched it. If he thinks that person is gone, he won't look for them."

“Hmn.” Fai mused thoughtfully for a moment, obviously tossing the idea around before he sighed. “And when do you have to do that?”

"As soon as I can move well enough, I'll have to leave."

Fai’s head sunk before he slid his hands down Kurogane’s arms and pulled them tighter around himself, that was his only reply before he laid his head in the crook the man’s neck.

"I can't move well enough yet." Kurogane whispered as if that would be enough.

“You do what you have to do,” Fai turned his face in to hide it, the motion saying ‘doesn’t mean I have to like it.’ He was letting his lover go back to the very source of his pain. No one would be okay with that, and it was taking all of Fai’s remaining will to just be silent about it.

"I will do whatever is necessary to protect you and the kids." Kurogane murmured and held Fai as close as he could without crushing the other man. "And to give you whatever you need." There was an unspoken promise there. That he wouldn't fight Fai when it came to doing what he needed to do to soothe that rage from earlier. That he would do his damnedest to keep prying eyes away from him.

“I know,” The mage whispered, and he laid there for a long moment before he pulled away, slapping his own cheeks. “Well now, moping about isn't getting us anywhere.” Carefully, he untangled himself from Kurogane and stood up. “You need to bathe, and get something to eat.” He wiped his hand under his eyes to catch any moisture that might have been there.

Kurogane shook his head. "Not until you kiss me."

Fai’s head whirled around and he blinked a few times. “Eh?”

"I'm not moving from this spot until you kiss me."

His cheeks colored slowly before he smiled. “Is that how it is?” Fai shook his head. He didn't know why his stomach was doing somersaults. It wasn't like they hadn't kissed before, but he couldn't help but feel that this was going to be something different. He leaned in, a knee coming up to bed as his hands rested on Kurogane’s legs to hold himself level. “You sure you want this?”

"Are you doubting my words, idiot mage?" Kurogane let himself smirk as he used to. His hand coming to rest on Fai's uninjured one as he leaned in just slightly. After last night, he needed to reclaim this part of himself that was close to Fai. He needed to make that bond stronger. He was going to need it to get past all of this.

“Never.” Fai’s smirk mirrored the ninja’s as he closed the distance between them. Warm lips greeted his own, melding into him and what was meant to be a quick chaste peck, lingered with languid sensuality, heat, and adoration.

It was a subtle difference, but it was enough. The emotion in that kiss warmed Kurogane enough to give him the strength to stand up to the one he shouldn't go against. And when that kiss broke, the air came out in a soft, almost inaudible whisper. "Fai..."

There have between two times in his life where Kurogane called out his name. The first was the night they had landed here and the ninja had wrapped it in so much spite that Fai had no choice but to ignore it, and then now. A sweet whisper against his lips, the low timber of his voice made it reverberate inside of him, but that’s where it stopped. Deep at his core there was a disconnect, like an unfinished circuit. It unsettled him even as he leaned in and nuzzled the other’s cheek and begged in his soft voice. “Again.”

"Hm...?" Kurogane looked at the mage through half-lidded eyes, his hand coming up to stroke over the other man's cheek. "Again what, Fai?" He didn't know why he just kept wanting to say it, but he did. Like he wanted the other man to know that he had opened that up to him completely. That he needed him more than anything.

Again the sensation traveled in tingles through his body, but stopped cold. _Why?_ Fai closed his eyes against the confusion, hiding from the ninja’s inquisitive stare. “Kiss me, again.” _Let that be the end of it._ He drowned himself in the sensation of their physical connection.

He expected more of a reaction, but when Fai didn't give it, Kurogane had no choice but to push aside that slight disappointment in favor for something more positive. He leaned in and kissed the other man again, his eyes remaining half-lidded so he could watch the mage for any sort of reaction. If this had no effect on him, then there was nothing else he could do.

“Hmm.” Came Fai's mewled reply. This would work, this was all he needed right now. His brow furrowed softly when he regretfully broke away to nuzzle from his cheek to his ear. 

“Aishiteru.” The foreign words rolled from the mage's lips in a thick honeyed accent. It was the only way we could think of to express himself in a way his body was currently refusing. But let him take that with him when he leaves his side. He wanted to give him at least that much.

The larger man closed his eyes completely at that word, allowing it to sink in for a moment. It was more than just the meaning behind it, but the actual use of his language that caused something to spark inside him. "You're sneaky." He murmured as he opened his eyes again, those red orbs darkened much in the way they had been when he first took the mage against the window. But this time he would deny it. This time he needed to focus that energy elsewhere. "Don't torment me right before I need to go."

Those blue eyes fixed on the dark red ones that regarded him with a little more than desire. “Then hurry back to me. In one piece. Buuuut…” The smile widened to break the mood. “You should bathe. You’re covered in sweat and blood, and you’ll get me dirty.”

"If you get dirty, that's your fault." The retort was quick, but it lacked any real bite. "I can't bathe until you get off me, unless you want me to dump you on the floor."

“Okay okay.” There was one last quick nuzzle of his lips to the other man’s jaw as Fai stood up again. “I'll go tell the kids that papa is hungry.” A sly smirk curved on side of his lips. It felt good to do this. He needed this, to feel some semblance of normalcy

"Aa." That was the only response he had even as he carefully picked himself up off the bed and moved to wash himself up. He kept his back to the other man, though he knew he'd be leaving the room to find William in a moment, and that was good for him. All he needed was a moment alone to collect himself.

Once he heard Fai leave the room and heard that soft click of the door shut behind him, Kurogane stopped trying to hold himself up strong and tall. He sank to the floor by the basin and groaned a little as his muscles protested after such movement. And as before, he just needed to push through this. To force himself to move as normal. He needed to get to that place as quickly as possible. The sooner he could weave his lie, the better. 

He remained on the floor for a few more moments before he pulled himself up and washed away the rest of the blood and sweat. He checked over his flesh for any open wounds, but there were none. His back was still whipped raw, but that was to be expected. He wasn't sure if that would ever heal, even if the curse was broken. But he couldn't afford to think about that right now. He had more important things to focus on. 

Getting dressed was less of a challenge than he anticipated, but each movement produced less throbbing than the one before it, and by the time he had finished tying the laces on his breeches, he was able to move without any real issue. He clenched and unclenched his fists a few times before he pulled open the door and listened. He was sure Syaoran was still in the library, as he and the manjuu had pretty much taken up residence there. He could hear William and Fai talking in the kitchen quietly enough that he could recognize their voices, but not make out anything they were saying. So he gripped the rail and headed down the spiral staircase, taking each step a little slower than normal, but only because he didn't want to make noise and alert the others to his presence.

By the time Kurogane reached the door and pushed his way through it, Fai and William seemed to be done with whatever conversation they were having. William was finishing up some sort of stew, as indicated by the smell of vegetables and meat that filled the air. Fai was pulling apart some rolls, wrapping a few of them in cloth and placing them in a burlap sack. So he cleared his throat a little and stepped into the room. "I should go."

Fai looked up from where he smoothed the edge down. “I know.” He whispered. His tone wasn't pleased, but it was weighed down with resignation. “Here, William and I made you a care package.” He still forced some levity in words as he stood up, handing the ninja the tan sack.

He let his fingers slide over the mage's as he took the sack, looking at him as he did so. "Thanks." He nodded once and turned towards the door, but was stopped when a bowl of that stew was held in front of him.

"You can take the bread, My Lord, but you can't eat this on the horse. Eat it now while I prepare everything else for your journey." William looked at him, gaze steady even as he grabbed that sack from Kurogane's hand, barely letting the other man get a grip on the bowl before he was out the door to prepare the horse.

Kurogane sat down and looked at Fai again as he stirred the stew a bit as if to cool it, though he really just didn't have much of an appetite at the moment. 

"He really cares about you, you know? You should make sure you show him that you understand and finish that. He spent a lot of time making it." Those blue eyes lifted to the ninja's face. He knew he was rambling but what he wanted to say couldn't make its way out. So he fidgeted under the man's gaze, fingers rubbing anxiously against bandaged ones. 

"I-.. umm."

Kurogane didn't want to make Fai's nerves worse, so he looked down at the bowl and forced every bit of the stew down, pushing aside his lack of appetite in order to finish what he was given. Once the bowl was empty, he put it down on the table and stood, looking at the mage once more before shaking his head. "I'll be back in a few days. Take care of yourself." 

"Come home." The mage blurted out before he got up to rest his forehead against the chest of Kurogane's riding coat. It smelled of leather, long days in the sun, and blood like everything else in this house. "Please..."

"I will." Kurogane rested his hand on the other man's shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. He allowed Fai to lean against him like that for another moment before he carefully stepped back and looked at him one more time. With one nod, he turned and left.

Conversation with William was pretty much nonexistent beyond the usual dictation of duties to be performed while he was gone. Even as the boy helped him don his armor, there wasn't much else to discuss. So aside from that quick reassurance he gave Fai before he left, his departure wasn't all that unusual for all of the journeys he had made in the past year, yet it was completely different at the same time.

The road to the castle was the same as it ever was. The trees that lined the path were somewhat gnarled and twisted, as though some sort of dark wind had blown by and corrupted their very essence, though their branches reached high into the sky, desperately trying to be a part of the sunlight that filtered through the clouds. Snow and some fallen twigs crunched under the horse's hooves, making the surrounding silence even more eerie. In the distance, he could hear the rustle of bushes as animals sought shelter from the black presence that moved along the path.

A lone owl hooted somewhere in the distance as the sky began to darken and even the sun decided to abandon this helpless land. The air grew colder, and the moon seemed to dim with each step he took towards the large iron gate that swung open without an operator and slammed shut as soon as his horse passed through it. The beast snorted and kicked up one of his front hooves, but Kurogane rested his hand on his neck and patted it gently, as he always did. "Shhh." He murmured and coaxed him over the drawbridge, which creaked under their weight. 

He dismounted once they reached the other side, handing the reins to the waiting valet, who only snorted at him as he lead the horse to the stables. Kurogane glanced after him, waiting until he could no longer see him before he looked at the large doors at the end of the walkway. He took slow, calculated steps, glancing around and moving in a way that would enable him to grab his weapon quickly if needed. With each step, he listened for the movement of loose stones. He looked for the shadows in the ramparts. It wasn't unusual for some of that man's creatures to jump on him, hoping to catch him unaware. It was partially why he had such black armor. If he looked like one of them, and if he smelled of blood and iron, they left him alone for the most part. Occasionally there was one that was too bold for its own good, but its death usually served as a warning to the others. At least for that visit.

When he arrived at the large doors, two of the twisted things opened them, stepping back and allowing for him to walk through. And he did, but not without a snort as the air felt thicker, weighed down by the scent of blood and ash.

"The Massster isss resssting." A hiss came from the shadows to his left. Kurogane didn't turn his head, he simply grunted and dismissed the voice with a shrug of his shoulders as he continued his steady walk towards the next set of double doors. Like he cared if that bastard was resting after what he did the night before?

"The human doesssn't lisssten." That voice seemed more displeased than before, but it remained where it was. No creature followed him even as he pushed open that second set of double doors.

The sound of the doors creaking open echoed against the cold, stone walls of the throne room. The dim light from flickering candles danced against the wall, illuminating dark figures in the shadows that seemed to have beady little eyes, watching his every movement. In the middle of the room was a large circle, painted in blood and accented by wax and ash. The candles for a summoning were freshly extinguished, thin wisps of smoke rising from the wicks, but there was nothing in the center of the circle.

Kurogane couldn't help the smirk knowing that whatever ritual had been performed in the past hour had failed miserably, which explained the need for rest. He stepped around that circle, careful not to touch any of the bloodied lines as he walked to the one tapestry that hung limply behind the blackened throne. He pushed that tapestry aside, revealing the not-so-secret door that hid behind it. 

"The human ssshould be punissshed." That voice from earlier was back, and with one swift movement, Kurogane had the tip of his blade pressed against the scaly green flesh of the owner's throat. The creature hissed at him, a forked tongue sliding out between thin lips. He stared into yellow eyes, the thin pupils widening and thinning as the creature seemed startled by his movement.

"The only one who will be punished will be you if you keep following me." Kurogane snarled at the reptilian figure before him. "I know several merchants who would pay quite a price for snake skin."

The creature scampered backwards, hissing a little as scaly feet slapped against the floor. "Massster doesss not wisssh to be disssturbed."

"Well, that's his bad luck then." Kurogane narrowed his eyes once more, lifting the sword towards the creature, but it wisely scrambled back a bit more. With a grunt, he turned back to the door and pushed it open, stepping through and letting it slam behind him.

Before him sat the cloaked, shriveled figure of a man, or what should have been a man before darkness and hatred consumed him. His bent, crooked figure held a red orb in one bony hand and a bloodied knife in the other. On the floor at his feet was the mutilated body of what was probably some poor beggar who chose the wrong building to seek alms. 

"I don't recall summoning you." The voice that came from the figure was as deformed as the man was. It was raspy and guttural as if some sort of animal had taken the vocal cords of a man and tried to use them. 

Kurogane was unfazed, and he stood just beyond that door. "Could have fooled me with that little display last night."

"Ah. That was a warning, not a summoning. Stupid dog." There was a chuckle, a bubble of noise that sent chills down Kurogane's spine, but he stood strong, staring down the man across the room. "But what else can I expect from an idiot who lets someone touch my possession?" The figure stood, the candlelight illuminating him just enough that Kurogane could see the man's sick, blood-stained grin. He licked a bit of the blood off the knife and dropped it on the body at his feet, but he brought that red orb into his cloak and seemed to secure it before he took a number of steps closer. "Shall I whip you for your transgression?"

"No." Kurogane sneered a bit. He normally didn't contradict the man who took languid steps towards him, but he had to stand up to him today. He had to convince him everything was handled. "I needed to fuck, so I did. You're the one who made that thing show up on me when someone was around."

"Oho." The man laughed, but he didn't at all sound amused. "Did my little weak dog enjoy his bitch, then?" He stopped several steps away from Kurogane, lifting his hand to point a finger at him. "You were distracted, so I reminded you who you belonged to."

"Well, she's dead now." Kurogane shook his head. "She touched it, and now she's dead."

This time, the man laughed with amusement, clapping his gnarled hands together. "Oh? And how dead is she?"

"How else can someone be dead other than dead?"

"Yes, but the blood, How was the blood? Did she scream? Did she beg you for mercy?" The man rubbed his hands together and grinned again. "Was it invigorating?"

"I slit her throat before she could scream." It disgusted him to say these things, but Kurogane needed this to work. He needed to know the man accepted his statement. He crossed his arms and tried to look as unaffected by the idea as possible. After all, the Kurogane of a few weeks ago would have had no problem slitting someone's throat if it meant surviving just a little longer.

"You are a cruel one." The man turned and walked back to his seat, waving his hand once. "Very well. I will not whip you. But do promise to keep any more of your whores from touching what's mine hm?"

"Then don't show it."

"Hm?" The man turned his head to look at him, though Kurogane couldn't even see the glint of his eyes from beneath that hood. "Are you telling me what to do, dog?"

"You may enjoy blood as a decoration, but I don't."

"Very well." The man waved his hand again. "Be gone. I will have a mission for you in the morning."

Kurogane watched the man settle and pick up that knife once again, turning it and seeming to find amusement in the way the candlelight reflected off the blood. He rolled his eyes a little and turned, walking to that door and feeling a slight sense of relief that there had been no questions. Maybe that should have worried him. Maybe it was too easy, but if he learned anything about this bastard in the past year, it was that he hated wasting his time. So if he didn't ask, he was probably content with what was said.

Good. The last thing he needed was more suspicion. Especially from a man whose laughter sounded like curdling blood. 

Kurogane forced down the bile that rose in his throat when he heard that laughter again. He gritted his teeth a little to keep from focusing on that gross sound, only relaxing his jaw once he was through the door and it closed behind him once more, the tapestry swinging back into place. He just needed to get through a few more days of this, and as that snake creature saw him and began to hiss, he thought of the perfect thing to help him pass the time.


	6. Magic

“Wizard…” 

“Wizzzard...”

“Hear us, Wizzzaaaard.” Fai strummed his fingers against the edge of the windowsill as he stared through the iron thatched glass, his jaw was clenched, and his lips were a thin line etched by half a week’s worth of agitation.

“You’re hearing them again, aren't you?”

“Aa.” Fai turned from the window and sighed as leaned his head back against the glass, his arms slumping over the sides of the chair. Syaoran studied him from a small driftwood desk that sat against the adjacent wall, his fingers twisting a quill between them. With minimal effort, Fai stretched his neck up to see what was written on the thin piece of parchment under the boy’s arm. There were lines made in deep ink, and the hurried handwriting was almost legible. However, Fai’s focus was too fractured at the moment to try to read it. His head throbbed, and he had to close his eyes against the light of the half masticated candles that dangerously littered the room. Stacks of books were set in seemingly random piles, but Fai had surmised that one area was ‘read’ another ‘to be read’ and another ‘irrelevant.’ He had only given the boy this project a few days ago, and he’d already amassed a small encyclopedia of knowledge.

“It’s been three days.” The concern in those brown eyes made Fai’s frown wane into a smile. 

“Yeah, since the day after Kurosama left.” Fai sighed as he pushed himself up from the chair to walk over to one of the book piles. Idly he opened a cover, his eyes scanning the pages. It was all scribbles to him, and he wasn't sure why he bothered. Without his magic to translate these books he was about as useless as the cob-webbed broom in the corner. There was no sense in cleaning a room that no one used.

“Do you know what it is?” Fai felt the boy’s eyes on him, their intense gaze baring into him but never asking for more than what Fai was willing to give even though he had already told Syaoran everything. 

“I have a feeling. There’s a light in the forest just beyond the village.”

“Back where we landed?”

“That’s the place. If not that, close to.” The young sorcerer nodded thoughtfully. Fai knew the boy couldn't see the light, and that was a little more unsettling than he cared to admit. 

“Are you going to go?”

“Yeah.” Fai turned back to the window. 

“Want me to go with you?” Fai gave the boy a sidelong glance, the smile never fading.

“It would be better if I went alone. Better I incur the wrath of Steelsama than get you thrown into the mix with me. Besides what you’re doing is more important.”

“Yeah but I haven’t found much. This world is still in its dark ages and has barely started the utilization printed text.”

“Which means a library such as this is its own luxury. Only the educated would have access to this wealth of knowledge.” Fai waved his hand about the small room. While ancient and worn, each and every book on the shelf had been painstakingly crafted and bound together with branded titles carefully imprinted into tanned hide. “Kuropon might not have had any use for them, but the previous owner of this house certainly did.”

“Why would you feel that something would be here?” Syaoran rested his quill down on the table smiling fondly as the feather caused Mokona’s sleeping face to wrinkle up.

“For whatever reason, the owner of this house is gone. This room, in Kurochi’s own words, had never been touched.”

Syaoran looked around again. Yes the room had been abandoned and the dust about it was thick, but it was not left to decay or rot like one would assume after a long absence of a human caretaker. “You think the owner was killed?” 

“Perhaps, or left in a hurry.”

“That’s a lot to assume from a single room.”

“A house has a feeling too it. When a person lives in a place, that alone builds up an essence. Feelings, memories, and the lives of those within a structure always leave something behind.” Fai’s fingers traced long the edge of a book as he spoke. “Most people have a natural sensitivity for it. A place can feel welcoming, eerie, or outright dangerous. But if you focus, you can feel more than that. The sense about this place doesn't belong to our ninja. Close your eyes and open yourself up to it. Don’t push magic out.” Fai warned softly. “Let it come to you.”

Syaoran did as he was instructed. Between Kurogane and Fai, he had gotten used to these impromptu lessons in magic and the sword. Sure he was powerful on his own, but Fai’s power was different, insurmountable in potential, and every time he used it, he would have to learn a new type of control. It was the definition of raw power, and it was no mystery why the people of his original country feared it. Syaoran exhaled slowly and felt the aura of the house. Fai was right. The sense of it wasn't right for it being the home of their companion. There was a magical domain here, someone with power once called this place home, and part of that still remained. It wasn’t as simple as just sensing magic, it was sensing a touch of a former life. When those brown eyes opened again, he found the gentle face of the mage staring back at him with a knowing expectation.

“If there was a book that could explain anything about what happened to Kurosama, it would be here.” 

“Aa,” was all Syaoran could say to that. Fai had put it together as if it were nothing but an afterthought, and Syaoran felt a bit foolish for not noticing

“Your instincts are good, Kurosama has done well in teaching you how to trust them, but combine that with reading the aura of a place and a whole history can be told to you in a matter of seconds. You won’t be able to see the past, but you can get a feel for it.”

"I will keep looking. If there's anything that can help, I'll find it." 

Fai's smile warmed. "I know you will. When you say you'll do something, you always follow through, unlike some detestable adults I know." He smoothed the boy's hair as he walked by him and toward the door, leaving the young man to blink after his retreating figure. 

Moments later, Fai landed with a feline grace in the center square of the village. From the seclusion of the manor it was all too easy to draw comparisons between this place and his adopted home world, and at one time the comparison might have held up, but not while he stood in the center of it. The cobblestone walk was falling apart, pushed up and cracked by intruding trees. Waste, human and otherwise, lined the gutters of homes and Fai was thankful for the chill of the night air as it kept the stench low to the ground. The trees through the town appeared more like twisted black thorns that the earth was desperately trying to push up through the crust. Where the trees splintered forth, they clung to buildings and homes as if lacquered into place. 

Fai narrowed his eyes as he heard the shuttering of windows behind him. This village was little more than a living ghost town, and he laughed dryly to himself wondering how he could have thought about going to a tavern in a place like this. As soon as the sun set, this town buried itself into the huts and hovels that lined the streets like derelict tombs. 

Unconsciously he wrapped his cloak more around his shoulders, pulling the hood tighter over his head as if it could protect him from the sense of decay and death that had taken everything else in this place. 

It wasn't until he reached the forest that he felt like he had taken his first breath of fresh air. It was sweet and cold, burning the edges of his lungs as he inhaled it deeply. The glow had long since gone, it had been a fleeting thing since that first night. If he turned his attention to it, it would blink out leaving Fai feeling as though he'd gone a little mad. 

"Here... he is here..."

"Here, he came.."

And of course there was that; the voices had gone silent for a while, as though satisfied with his decision to come here, but now that he stood at the forest edge, it wasn’t enough.

"What do you want?" He asked as if speaking to the trees he passed.

"Help... save... closer..."

"Who are you?" He pushed a pliant branch out of his way as his feet crunched over untouched snow. 

"He's come!" The voice banged in his head as a flash of light forced his hand to cover his eyes. It was hot and left a fleeting warmth against his flesh as an hour in the summer sun might against sensitive skin.

When the light faded and his eyes adjusted to the night, Fai found himself standing on the outer edge of a circle of mossened stones. This was the same outcropping of stones that called to him all those weeks ago. There was a bitter nostalgia that came with the thought, but he shook it off as he looked over the clearing. An iridescent wall encompassed the stones now, shimmering gently in honey combed patterns. He lifted his hand to touch the center of a hexagonal light and tingles traveled down his arms, raising his flesh but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, just what one would expect while crossing a magical threshold. But nothing could ever be ‘what one would expect.’

As soon as his injured hand attempted to make the crossing with him he heard a screaming in his head and his body was flung to the ground by an invisible force, his face pressed hard into the frozen moss. His mouth became filled with the taste of earth as the screams became so loud he could no longer tell if it was the voices or himself.

“Taint! TAINT! EVIL! TWISTED! KILL! DESTORY!” The words twisted and spat around him, and he felt as though his fingers were being pulled apart, flesh seared off, muscle flayed open, and bones crushed. His body writhed on the ground until vainly curling in on itself for protection. He could barely shout his anguish before he was left with nothing but silence. And that was how he was left, panting on the ground, his other hand clawed into the frozen earth before the world blacked out.

Something cold and wet melted into the creases of his lips then dripped down the curve of his cheek. “Mn,” He stirred, body burning in protest.

"Wakes! He Wakes!" The voices came again, only this time they were outside of his body rather than rolling within his skull. When his eyes opened, lights were dancing about his vision. Snow dusted his lashes and gently weighted his hair down over his face. 

"Wher-?" Orbs of playful energy hoped and moved about him, cutting off his question, their sliver blue lights ebbing into tiny pins of light before exploding out into varying sizes. 

"You're awake wizard. I do apologize for our greeting to you but we had to cleanse you before we could continue on." One particularly brilliant orb moved forward. As it came closer Fai noticed that within this one’s sphere it held several spectrums of light. They rolled and moved over each other as if the colors were trapped in an elegance dance of dominance.

"Awake!"

"Awake!" Echoed the other voices, and Fai watched the other lights warily before looking back to the one that spoke first.

"Cleanse me?" He shivered as he asked, the moisture in the earth soaking through his clothing.

"With the same taint that poisons this world, and that which sealed us here." Every word was accented with a fluttering of light as if the orb was speaking in Morse. "We have been trapped here a long time wizard, waiting for someone to help us. As we are, we are too weak and his power grows through the blood of this world."

"Wait," Fai raised his hand up. "Are we talking about the one who-"

"The very one whose curse burned your flesh destroys this world. So consumed by blood magic he is nothing but a twisted shell." Fai’s eye brow quirked up in interest. 

"Explain." Fai sat up straighter finally smiling as a smaller orb fluttered to sit upon his shoulder and was soon followed by several more. 

"Not sure how to express in terms of time, our views are different; however, there was a time when this world was steeped in magic, good magic, powered by the earth itself. Then things started to change. The earth started to become corrupt, and the magic became corrupt. Wars, death, illness. We tried to fight back, but by then our powers were too weak and his were too strong. He cannot kill us though, to kill us will make the world blink out, so he sealed us, and we only grew weaker."

"You're wisps." Fai stated as he held his hand out for the rainbowed orb to rest upon. Where it touched his skin prickled. 

"In a sense, yes."

"How can I help?" 

"We need your magic."

"Pardon?"

"Your power is of you, not of land nor anything else. It’s created within you and is incorruptible by anything but your own will. Give it to us, let us become strong so that we can fight again."

"I can't give it to you. Not without dying anyway, and I have no intention of doing that today."

"We will have no need for you to die, we will only need enough to push back into the earth." A white haze started to form in the center of the stones. Lights shifted and cracked across the cloud until an image started to form inside of it. A jewel, the color of old blood, started to manifest. The sight of it made Fai stomach twist and lapped at a nearly forgotten instinct. He'd repressed the sensation for a while now, but the air in this place made inhibition impossible. The phantom taste of blood filled his mouth, sweet and narcotic in memory. He no longer held the necessary internal structure for its digestion but the recollection of it was as real as the feeling itself. 

"It draws on the darkness." The soft musical whisper of the wisp pulled Fai away. "Turns people into their nightmares and gathers up all their fear and pain and releases it into the earth."

"Corrupting the magic and weakening those who live off that magic." Fai couldn't see it in the nondescript shape of the orb but he had a sense the creature nodded its approval. "If I use my magic to help you won't he notice?"

"He cannot see into this seal. He cannot see you right now nor feel your power." 

"If I do this, can you protect my friend?"

"Your friend?"

"Lord Steel," Silence filled the clearing, to the point where the sound of the falling snow was almost too loud. Even the smaller orbs stopped their dashing about.

"That is your friend?"

"Yes. I don't know what he's all done but I assure you, it wasn't because it was something he wanted. And unless he can be helped, I can't help you. Equal trade."

"The fate of the world for the life of one man?"

"He's that important to me." There was another long silence before the rainbow orbed appeared to let out what Fai guessed was a sigh.

"Very well. We'll do what we can to save him as long as we have your power."

"Alright, then I offer it willingly to you." The words hadn't left the mage's lips before he felt the drain on his powers. It felt as though someone had knocked the wind out of his soul, and he lurched forward, gasping for a breath that wouldn’t come. His hand came out to support his weight as he felt the wisps syphon his magic. Cold, hot, electric waves passed over him alternating between the extremes. Around him the world spun, his magic swirled about in a cyclone of characters and light, thousands, no millions of them shot up from him and into the hungry invisible maws of the wisps. 

It was too much! They were taking too much! His body shook and his eyes burned. Several lifetimes of memories and wear were cutting into his flesh. He looked down at his hands and saw their youthful exuberance fade into sunken graying skin that became spotted with age. Knocked hooked fingers dug harder into the earth and Fai felt them start to break as they became more brittle in each passing second.

"STOP!" He screamed out. Not sure if he could be heard. "STOP!!" The edges of his vision started to darken and he felt the world begin to leave him. The pain ebbed, only to be replaced by the cold. It was a chill that went beyond the snow and frost below his body. It was the icy touch of oblivion. This was what death felt like, what it really felt like. And it terrified him. "STOP!" Came one last choked plea before there was nothing else except a cold dark void.

Weak. He felt so weak. He wasn’t sure how long it had been since he blacked out in the clearing, but when he woke up he was alone and everything had been still but the falling snow. It was strange, waking up alive and no worse for wear after seeing yourself all but die. Fai leaned back against a tree to catch his breath. He’d only made it to the edge of the woods and the waning moon was already setting over the horizon. He just had to make it a little farther.

The walk to the village was a long one, with no trees to hold him up, and knowing what would happen the second he sat down, he had no choice but to push forward. He went down the dirt path until it melded in to broken stone. Was he in the village? He couldn’t muster the strength to turn his eyes up to see the buildings as his feet shuffled slowly behind him. It had been a slow but steady pace and he could see the town open up into the square. For a moment he knew he would make it. Until his feet, lacking the fortitude to lift themselves up, stumbled over a black root. He fell, and Fai couldn’t move his arms to catch himself. So he braced for the impact of stone but it never came. Instead something firm caught him. Something warm, and dry. Something that smelled of agar wood.

"Hey..." Kurogane held Fai's body in his arms, shaking him only just slightly to see if he was aware of anything, though he didn't seem to be. He hadn't even seen him when he stumbled through the village, and it was sheer luck that the larger man had been able to get off the horse fast enough to catch him before his body hit the stones. "Idiot." 

He grumbled and carefully draped the mage over the saddle and guided the horse back to the manor. The walked seemed longer than normal, for obvious reasons, and that only served to agitate Kurogane more. Even as he lifted the mage and carried him inside while William tended to the horse. Even as he carried him up the stairs and into the bedroom. Especially when he laid him in the bed and tucked him in. And the most when he had to go back down to get William to help him with his armor. Whatever the mage had done, he was certain to get an earful when he woke up.

He was warm, Fai knew that much. Warm but at the same time caked with dirt and damp clothes. The feeling was uncomfortable enough to for him to lift that tired body up from the weight of blankets and over to the bath. He didn’t think about how he got here, what mattered was that he had somehow made it back.

He tossed his sodden garments and carefully washed any remnants of mud and moss from his skin. Every movement was a fight as if weights had been added to every limb, trying to pull him down. He wasn’t in any pain however. The only word he had for how he felt was spent. Emotionally and physically spent. He shifted his eyes up briefly at the mirror, cursing himself as he found amber eyes staring back at him. Yes there were sparks of blue running through in minute flashes, but nothing more. He shivered knowing that those little flashes were all that remained of his life. The mage shook his head and pushed away from the reflection. 

After cleaning the day from his body and failing to do so from his mind, he wrapped himself up in a fur and curled back up in the bed, as if that had taken what was left of his strength, and he slept. He didn’t know how long he slept, just that it was night when he closed his eyes and it was still night or possibly night again when he opened them.

Food had been set out, so he knew someone was on watch. But he wasn’t hungry yet, his mind was clearing up and starting to feel far too busy for his state to handle. He needed to sort out what had happened before it faded into nothing more than a dream. So without a thought he wrapped himself up in one of Kurogane’s thick black cloaks, the fur on the rim tickling his neck and nose, and made his way down the winding stair case and out to the garden.

He stopped and appreciated that open space. Fresh untouched snow blanketed the grass and rocks, ice coated the trees and gave off a silver glow as they reflected the moonlight back at the skyward sphere as it shone down from its zenith. Around him small flakes of snow fell and blew gently down from trees and the rooftop. He sat upon a solitary stone that stood before a bank of a frozen pond, and there he closed his eyes and just listened to the winter silence.

Kurogane watched Fai move through the garden and take a seat on that stone. He had been in the kitchen, laying on the floor by the hearth to keep warm, so it was no wonder Fai didn't see him when he came through to go out there. So Kurogane just watched for a moment. The mage's eyes were closed, and he wondered if he had fallen asleep again, so he pulled on the cloak he had been laying on and walked outside. "Hey..." He hadn't heard him all those hours ago, so he hoped he heard him now.

“Mn” Fai’s head arched back just enough so that he could see the other man standing beside him. He knew he was in trouble, he could see it on that stern face. So he decided to accept his fate. “Hi.”

Kurogane tried to keep the stern expression. He tried not to be startled by the gold eyes that now looked up at him, but he failed. His own eyes widened slightly, and the anger that had been ready to boil over in a lecture bubbled and simmered. "What the hell did you do?"

“The wisps in the clearing,” Fai started. “They needed my help. They wanted to heal this world but they were weak and needed a different source of power.” His speech was languid, but not slurred, the tone of a man who was picking his words carefully. “So I helped them. They took more than I thought, almost took it all actually.” A soft blue light shimmered in the gentle gold of the mage’s eyes. “It will come back though.”

"Are you a fucking idiot?" Kurogane's stern look was back, and it was even worse than before. His lips curved into a deep frown, and his eyes were narrowed to mere slits. "You don't know what the hell they are, and you could have killed yourself over it. What the fuck is wrong with you?"

Fai winced and lowered his head. “They said, they would protect you.”

"Is that so? And how are they going to do that? By killing you?" 

“The earth, this world, magic moves through it like veins in a body.” As if to illustrate his point, Fai gently moved his fingers over the underside of his wrist. “The one who hurt you has corrupted it, and he keeps getting stronger as he continues to feed on it, killing for it. They wanted power to at least start fighting back. I don’t think they meant to hurt me, they were just… starving.” A sigh finished his words.

"And I'm supposed to be okay with that? What if you died? What if you passed out, and I wasn't there to catch you? What if someone hurt you and you weren't able to do anything about it?" Kurogane's fists clenched at his sides. 

“No, I wouldn’t expect you to be. In fact I’d expect you to feel hurt, mad, upset, and helpless because someone you love was in pain and you couldn’t do anything about it. Because that’s how I feel.”

"There's a huge difference!" The larger man practically growled. "You did this on purpose!"

Fai visibly flinched, before his arms came up and hugged himself around his midsection. He couldn’t argue against what Kurogane was saying because he was right. “I’m sorry.” Those words were a soft utterance of breath past lips that were starting to tremble.

Kurogane looked at him for a long moment before he sighed and forced himself to calm his rage. Yelling at Fai wasn't the way to deal with this, and he knew that, but he was just so angry. He closed his eyes and lifted one hand to his face to rub the bridge of his nose as if that would calm him down. He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he finally spoke, but he did so with a sigh. "I just can't be alone anymore."

That moment of silence stretched on, making the night seem infinite and the winter air that much colder as Fai shivered under the furs he carried. When Kurogane finally spoke Fai’s eyes closed, dry now from the tears that were threatening to fall earlier. “I wouldn’t leave you. Nothing could make me leave you.” A pale white hand reached out from under the cloak and sought out Kurogane’s. Freshly healed fingers wrapping their way in-between his thick and calloused ones.

He looked down at the smaller hand that curled into his own and he blinked. Before he left, those fingers were badly burned and damaged, and yet now they were fresh and new. There was no way those kinds of wounds would heal naturally on their own, and Kurogane knew the mage couldn't use healing magic. "Did they do this?" It was the only thing that could have happened, right?

"Hm? Oh!" Those gold eyes blinked a few times before he looked down at their hands. He'd completely forgotten. "Yeah, they healed them. It wasn't a pleasant feeling, but they said that they took the poison out."

"I see." He didn't like it, that was for sure, but he wasn't going to complain if it meant Fai wasn't in pain any longer. "And now? What's going to happen now?"

“Honestly? I don’t know. But for what they’re trying to accomplish, I don’t know if my magic would be enough. I have my limits.” His eyes lowered back to the snow. “I can’t even carry on a proper argument with you right now!” There it was, that little spark of life he had been waiting for.

"What argument do you want to have with me?" Kurogane's eyebrow twitched. "Do you like it when I yell at you?"

“You always yell.” Fai stuck his tongue out at the bigger man, but just as quickly as it came on that little spark of energy fizzled out and the world spun for just a moment as he let go of Kurogane’s hand to hold his head.

His hands instantly came out and steadied Fai when he seemed to get dizzy. "Hey...Are you sick?"

“No,” Fai lifted his head. “I’m okay. Still a little weak, that’s all.” Fai allowed his weight to be supported by the arms at his shoulders. They were big, warm, and safe.

"Then you need to go inside. You shouldn't be out here if you're still weak." Kurogane shook his head, but made no move to pick the other man up, not yet anyway, even as a heavier snow began to fall.

“Hmm. I wanna stay. Sitting out here won’t be different than siting in side. I’m not sick or dying. You won’t have to worry. But...” His head lifted up to Kurogane, eyes gentle. “Come closer…”

"But it's snowing." He started to protest, but knew it was pointless, so he stopped and just took a few steps closer to the other man.

As soon as Kurogane was close enough, Fai wrapped his arms around his waist, his head resting, then nuzzling into the stomach of his cloak. “Welcome home.”

Kurogane tensed for a moment, but then he relaxed a little and rested his hands on the mage's shoulder again. "A...Aa..."


	7. Name

“And are you okay?” Fai lifted his head up to study the other's face. "He didn't do anything, did he?"

"No, he didn't. You can check if you want to be sure." Kurogane looked at him and lifted his hands from his shoulders, lifting his arms and holding them out at his sides.

The mage simply continued to hold him. “I believe you, so don’t let me go.”

"All right." He rested his hands on the mage's shoulders once more and looked down at him. "What else is wrong?"

“Why?”

"Just asking. You don't want to go inside, and you don't want me to let go of you." Kurogane shook his head a little and lifted his flesh hand from the other man's shoulder to touch his cheek gently.

“I’ll go inside if you don’t let go of me. I... don’t want to be alone.” Fai said as he leaned his head into his hand. There was an unspoken plea in those words. Something vulnerable, something born from a man who had believed himself to be dead not that long ago. Things like that never bothered him before, he’d gone through worse, even asked to die, but now? He just wanted to be held by the man that gave him his life back.

"I have no intention of leaving you alone." He watched the mage lean into his hand and he sighed a little. It must have been really bad if he was acting like this. "I didn't tell that bastard a lie just so I could leave you, you know that don't you?"

"What did you tell him?" Fai turned his head up to see Kurogane’s face clearly, while never leaving the warmth of the hand against his cheek.

"I told him that the person who touched it was a woman, and that I killed her." He looked down at him and grimaced a little at the very thought of the lie. "It seemed to be good enough."

One elegant eyebrow arched up. "Well that's a bit unpleasant. Since I'm not a woman and was only almost dead."

"And it's as far from the truth as I could come up with and keep it believable." Another sigh escaped Kurogane's lips and he dropped his hand from the mage's cheek. "He won't be looking for you for now at least, but I worry that whatever happened with those wisps will somehow get back to him."

"They promised to protect you. I trust that."

"That's going to be damn near impossible."

"I’m a wizard, the impossible is my business.” A smile curved at the edge of Fai’s lips. “And since I've met you, well, the rates of doubled." Fai stood up, snow dusting his hair, the cold leaving a flush on his cheeks as he leveled his gaze at him. "I'm not going to lose you to him. Not anymore. I can't.”

"That's fine, but I doubt little orbs that couldn't do anything without almost killing you are going to be much help for me." Kurogane crossed his arms now that Fai was standing in front of him.

"I don't know. All that power is theirs now, and since they took it, mine will come back stronger than it was before." Fai smirked. "They might have done us a favor."

"I don't trust it, but I'll trust you." The larger man grumbled and turned his head a little to look off to the side. 

"You should kiss me when you say something cute like that."

"Cute?" But he kept his head turned away and he grumbled a bit more. "Don't say something so stupid."

"Well then according to you I would never talk again, and how bored would you be?" Fai waved his hand in a dismissive manner.

"Like you could actually stop yourself from talking ever again." Kurogane glanced back at him. "You wouldn't last very long."

"A kiss might shut me up for a bit."

"It might. And it might not."

"Care to try?" The slender man pressed closer, his hand sliding up Kurogane's chest to touch the sensitive hairs at the back of his neck.

"If you're that desperate for me to kiss you, you could just ask you know." Kurogane's eyes started to close at the attention to the back of his neck, but rather than let Fai see him react too much to those ministrations, he leaned in and crushed his mouth with his own.

"Mm…" The mage pulled himself up and into the kiss until the strength to hold himself up left his arms, causing him to start slipping down Kurogane's chest.

Kurogane’s arms came out and caught him, keeping him from falling any more than he already had. "All right. Too much. Time to go back inside, hm?"

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Fai gave him a hopeless smile.

Kurogane nodded and helped him straighten up a bit, not saying anything else as he let Fai use him as a crutch to get back into the manor. "Did you eat?"

"No, there was food in our room, but I wasn't hungry. It's probably ice cold by now." Fai allowed Kurogane to take all of his weight. "Sorry about this."

"Then we'll warm it on the fire." He helped him up the stairs. "You need to eat."

"Are you going to hand feed me?" Fai smiled, weakly joking as he was laid back on the couch.

"Don't be ridiculous." Kurogane snorted and turned away from him to bring the food closer to the fire to heat it up for him.

“You could work on your bedside manner,” Fai continued to watch the man’s back as he warmed his food. The light conversation, a semblance of how they use to be, put the mage at ease. It was comfortable and familiar.

"You could work on not hurting yourself for no real reason." Kurogane shook his head a little as he finished warming the food. "If you're strong enough to make those kinds of comments, you can feed yourself." He brought the dish over to him and held it out.

“Steelsama is so mean” That pout came back to the mages lips as he pushed himself into a sitting position, those golden eyes seeming all more vibrant as they caught the firelight.

"Don't call me that when we're alone." Kurogane looked away from the other man and stared at the window, though he continued to hold the plate out to him.

“No? Kurosama is okay then?” Fai took the plate, the weight of it causing his wrist to shake before he quickly placed it on his lap, thankful the other man had been turned away and couldn’t see something that pathetic.

"Now that the bastard thinks you're dead, yes. Though William still wouldn't understand. But I don't like it. I never did. It isn't me." The larger man kept his gaze on the window even after the plate was taken from him.

“I think that boy understands more than he lets on. He’s a smart one. Crafty.” Fai spoke fondly as he picked at a piece of bread. “I like him.”

"Well, I don't want him to start calling me by anything other than that name. Let him at least be content to be somewhere safe and warm." Kurogane looked away from the window and watched him barely eat the bread. "You need to do more than that if you're going to get better."

“If you don’t like it how I do it, you can do it yourself.” Fai stubbornly ate another small tear of the bread after dipping it into the stew before he sighed, lowering his eyes. “Sorry. I’ll finish it. It will just take a while.”

"Taking a while is fine. Looking like you won't eat it isn't." Kurogane shook his head and sat in the chair closest to the fire, watching him with intense eyes, though there was nothing in them other than simple concern.

The blond flushed a little under his scrutiny and shifted a little on the couch, purposely taking a larger bite. “I’m not going to die. You don’t have to look at me like that.” Despite his words, part of the mage was warmed by the worry in Kurogane’s face. It was uncharacteristic for him to be that blatant. “I’m sorry for making you worry about me.”

"I don't think you are. I think you like making me worry about you. Why else would you keep doing it?" 

“When you spend a lot of time not worrying about yourself, it’s really hard to let someone else do it for you. Or something like that. You spoil me basically.” Fai tucked some hair back behind his ear as he ate another piece of stew soaked bread.

"Do I?" Kurogane shrugged a little and closed his eyes for a moment, settling more into the chair. "Then should I stop spoiling you?"

“No.” Fai looked up at him, fingers resting on the plate and brows furrowed.

"Then what should I do? Spoil you more?" Kurogane looked at him again and his lips twitched, but no smirk or anything came to them.

“Love me.” With his own words a warmth spread from Fai’s cheeks to his ears, his head bowing so that his hair could curtain him more from the dumbfounded expression he was sure to see on the ninja’s face. Weakness sure had a way of making a person say the most embarrassing things.

Kurogane somehow managed not to look like Fai had just shaken his world with that statement. He wasn't entirely sure how to respond to it, and he didn't know if anything he could say would be good enough. So for the moment he just looked at the other man, his eyes a little wider than they were before. He could see the red that tinted Fai's face, and he was sure there was some matching color on his own. "How...?"

After a silent moment of contemplation Fai set his plate down on the end table, it was half finished but that was as well as the mage could do for now, and he placed his hand on the empty space next to him. “You can start by sitting here.”

With a nod, Kurogane got up from the other chair and moved, sitting down next to Fai without saying anything. There wasn't anything he could think of to say anyway.

Fai gave the man a few moments to settle in before he moved himself closer, pulling his legs up on the couch as he laid his head against Kurogane’s chest, eyes barely open as he heard the steady thumping of his heart.

He didn't know why he wasn't anticipating something like that, but he wasn't, and so once Fai settled against him, Kurogane did his best not to tense up or sit stiffly. He could only relax so much, especially with the way his heart seemed to beat faster, thudding loudly as if it would burst out of his chest at any moment.

“Mn?” Fai closed his eyes and smiled ever so slightly. “Something wrong?” It wasn’t like this was the first time Kurogane had held him like this, but there was no denying something was different as he heard that rhythmic beat speed up. He titled his head up, those amber eyes now open and curious as they studied his face.

Kurogane didn't dare turn his head down to look at him, so he simply stared at the fire, his face as neutral as it could look with wider eyes and a faint red tint to his ears. "No." He managed, though his voice was softer than normal.

“Is it uncomfortable?”

"No...You're not heavy."

"Yeah, I know. You can lift me with one arm if you want to." Fai snickered and turned his body so he was laying more against him rather than over him. The back of his head nestling between Kurogane's shoulder and neck. "This better?"

"Uh..." That was about the only word Kurogane could really muster at the moment. 

“Do you hate it? After everything, me being this close?”

"No, don't be stupid." Kurogane closed his eyes and focused on calming down. "It's just different..."

"Nm. I promised you something for when you came back to me, didn't I?" His hand lifted up behind him and gently turned Kurogane's head down to him so their eyes could finally meet.

He looked down at the smaller man, once again caught up in whatever this feeling was. So when the other spoke, he looked at him, his brows furrowing just a little. Did Fai promise him something? Was he so out of it after the pain from the curse that he didn't remember?

“Well, I never promised out loud, but I figured I would say it again when you came home. I missed my opportunity before. So I’ll say it for you now. Aishiteru, Kurosama.” With that Fai stretched his body up to leave a feather light kiss against the edge of the other’s jaw.

Kurogane stiffened a bit, more at the kiss than at the word, but his pulse quickened, and his eyes widened. "Eh?" He was so articulate in times like these.

"Did you forget already?" Fai pouted. The childish expression complementing the amusement in his eyes.

Kurogane stared at him, but he shook his head a little. "No. I didn't, but...It's still not something I'm used to hearing."

"Then should I say it again?"

He shook his head again and looked at him, and in an attempt to calm his pulse, he lifted a hand to Fai's cheek and touched just under his eye. "They're a little more blue than they were earlier...are you recovering?" A subject change should help.

Fai leaned his head into his touch. “Mm? Oh… yeah. I will be fine. Just takes a little rest. It can’t all come back at once. It’s my body’s defense mechanism, I guess.” He nuzzled his hand. “That much raw power flooding back into me would be very violent. Last time I was a vampire. This time I’m human, more or less, and all the frailties that come with it.”

"Well, you shouldn't let it happen again. I don't care what anyone says to convince you."

"Yes Kurosama, from here on out I'll be a good little wizard."

"I'm not sure if you're saying that to appease me or if you actually mean it." Kurogane frowned a little at him. "Do you understand why I don't want you to do it again?"

"Because you don't want to be left alone?" Fai looked up at him almost apologetically as he recited those words.

"That's part of it." Saying such words so easily should have startled him, but he didn't have any reason to hide them. 

"And the rest?"

"I can't do what you told me to do if you die on me, Fai."

“What did I tell you about kissing me when you say something like that?” Fai pulled the man’s head down as he arched his body up, melding their lips together in a slow languid kiss. The kiss was to ease the air in the room that became all too heavy, but also to ease something else inside of him. Something that fractured every time Kurogane used his name. Instead of warming him it continued to chill him and Fai was coming to the realization as to why.

“Y.. yui.”

"What?" Kurogane wasn't even far enough away after that kiss to move his own lips without brushing against the other man's, but that was the only word that came to him after Fai's sudden change in reaction.

“Yui. My name.” His voice became a light whisper hinted with touch of pain and bit of shyness. “My real name.”

Kurogane tensed a bit at that. It was a big deal. Bigger, even, than admitting affection or love. Everything was in a name. A person's identity, even their very soul. It was why he had taken on a new one in this world; as long as they didn't know his name, they couldn't use him completely. It was the only way he could retain that little bit of himself. And here Fai was...No, not Fai, Yui...was freely giving him his name. Although he knew it, knowing was much different than it being freely given. It was heavy. It carried a weight Kurogane didn't quite understand. "And you want to give this to me? Why?"

“I took on that name, but it isn’t me. I became ‘it’.” It was a complicated issue to express, and for the first time Fai was thankful that Ashura-ou had shown them that memory. “I became Fai out of misguided grief and guilt. You saw it, I was a child and didn’t know what I was doing, and I am still Fai but Fai is also my brother. And I will carry him with me for the rest of my life, but,” Long nervous fingers played with the edges of his tunic’s bell sleeves as he struggled for the right words. Feeling awkward, nervous, and yet strangely clear headed, as if a fog was slowly being lifted from his mind. “Yui is me. It’s my soul. The part of me that needs you the most, the part of me that was desperate for you to save it. It should belong to you.” A tear, hot and crystalline, rolled down a flushed cheek, unchecked. 

"But how can you trust me with something that important when I can't even control myself all of the time?" Kurogane sighed and gently wiped away the other man's tears. "I don't even trust myself." And that much was true. As long as the curse still burned in his blood, he wasn't completely himself. He may have been able to keep a few freedoms, but that was only because he lied to the one controlling him.

“Because you’re you. Because despite everything and for all the reasons I’ve given you to abandon me or even kill me, you are always there. Always next me and keeping me going. If not for you I … I don’t know where I’d be or who I’d be. So as far as I’m concerned my life is already yours. It’s only natural that you would have my soul too. Right?” Fai laid his hand over Kurogane’s chest, the tears in his eyes amplifying the blue shimmers of light.

The weight only got heavier, but Kurogane rested his hand over one of Fai's and nodded once. "Then in that case, I should give you something you can use to guarantee that I can't be used against you."

Fai took his hand and brought it up to his lips, gently moving them over his knuckles. “Nm?”

"Youou." He said quietly, watching the way the mage moved his lips over his hand.

"Youou?" Fai's eyes flickered up to him, the feel of the word sending a wave of warmth through his body. 

Kurogane nodded his head. "An even trade, right?"

"I like it." Fai spoke as if anything more than a whisper would break the delicate moment between them. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. Just keep it safe."

The mage nodded his head as he turned Kurogane's hand over, lips nuzzling his palm as he whispered his name back to him. "Youou."

Hearing that word come from the other man's mouth caused a shiver to run down Kurogane's spine. Only a handful of others have said it before, but this time it was different, and he wondered if it would have the same effect on Fai. "Yui."

His breath caught and his eyes closed as sensation rolled through his body. He couldn’t tell if a spell was cast or broken, but he felt it at his core, the very part of him that was the seed of his identity seemed to tremble fourth sending ripples from his center to the tips of his fingers. Something unlocked inside of him allowing him, for the first time in his life, to feel whole.

"Hey...are you okay?" Kurogane touched Fai's cheek again. 

“Yes.” When those eyes opened again they were filled with a longing so intense it startled the mage and with whatever strength he still hand inside of himself he wrapped his arms around Kurogane and pulled his own body flush against his. He lifted himself up to his knees so he could look down into those crimson eyes, sure at that moment that he had never loved anything more in his entire life, and will never love anything as much as he did this man. His hands cradled those still faintly boyish cheeks before he lowered his lips down to crush against his.

Whatever he had been expecting, it certainly hadn't been that. Only moments ago the mage didn't have enough energy to hold a plate, and here he was crushing him with a kiss filled with so much passion, Kurogane was sure his head might pop. But he brought his hands up to the small of the other man's back, holding him against him as he returned the kiss.

When the kiss broke Fai laid his head against his shoulder, his pants for air coming out hot and moist against Kurogane’s neck before his lips decided to trail there then up to the shell of his ear where he whispered his name again. “Youou.” Never had he wanted to possess something so completely even after he already knew he had it.

"Nnn." He couldn't help the way his head began to tilt to the side at those attentions to his neck and ear. "Yui..."

“Aishiteru, Youou.” Fai already knew he was playing with fire but after hearing his name spoken in that deep breathy voice a part of him wanted to drive the ninja a little mad, if only to put them on an equal playing field.

Kurogane's eyes narrowed a little at that, though he wasn't sure if it was because Fai was being unfair, or because he was trying to suppress the darkness that flowed through them. "You're cruel." He whispered, his hands sliding a little lower to move over the curve of his backside, pulling him onto his lap and holding him enough so that he couldn't move away.

“You don’t like it?” Fai smiled as his legs were forced to straddle Kurogane’s hips. “You’re the one who’s trapped me.”

"You did that to yourself." The larger man mumbled, his eyes still narrowed. 

“I think you might have had a hand in it.” One blonde eyebrow arched sardonically as the mage pulled back to see his face.

"Did I? Anything I did just now was reflex." Kurogane smirked just a bit. "You were cruel first."

“So your natural reflex is to grab my ass?” Fai tried to hold a straight face but a chime of laughter forced his expression to break. The sincerity of the response felt alien yet welcomed. When was the last time he was able to laugh like that?

Kurogane blinked. He certainly wasn't expecting that, and so he looked Fai, unsure of what to do or say while the other man laughed. Normally he might get mad, but the laugh was genuine and rare, so he couldn't even yell about it.

Those hands that had been running through the ninja’s dark locks came down to embrace him. They were thin and still weak enough that a shrug could remove them, but still, they held those broad shoulders as Fai laid his head against one. “Thank you.”

"For what?" He couldn't think of any real reason why the mage would thank him, unless it was for saying something stupid and making him laugh, but he didn't think that was what it was for. He did lift his hands a little to rest higher on his back, holding him just that much closer.

“For being the type of guy you are.” Mirth still accented the mage’s words. “And for reminding me, continually of the kind of guy I should be.”

"So you want to be the kind of guy that's the kind I am? I don't even know what that means." 

“No.” After a moment he lifted his head, blue and gold meeting red as their eyes found each other. “The kind of guy worthy of having Youou love him.”

"Then why do you think you need to change?" Kurogane blinked a little, and he lifted a hand to one of Fai's cheeks. "You keep using my name, but you're talking like you think you don't deserve it."

Fai shook his head, nuzzling his palm when it came to his face. “Now that I have it. I want to make sure I remain true to it.”

"But then you need to trust me enough to be the one to decide that, don't you?" Kurogane looked at him and managed a little smile. 

“I trust you. I trust you more than I trust myself.” Fai sat up a little, letting Kurogane’s hand slide back down his backside as he barely touched the tip of the other man’s nose with his own. “You keep me honest.” He spoke with closed eyes.

Fai's proximity caused Kurogane's eyes to close a little again, and he shifted just slightly to make it more comfortable. "You can easily keep yourself honest, but you have to learn how to trust yourself more."

“Won’t you let me rely on you, even a little?” Fai’s voice softened as he kissed him gently, but even something as innocent as that sent a tingle that started at his lips and ended at his core. It was as if he had never truly kissed this man until today. Every touch and every word felt like it was the first time and that thought alone became a heady rush.

He couldn't help but let out the soft noise that got muffled between their lips. Kurogane's eyes closed as he leaned into that kiss, as if he needed to become the same being as Fai. "Yui.." He managed once the kiss broke, his eyes barely fluttering open.

The name traveled through his body joining the building sensations that were intimately connected to Fai’s gender. “I want...” His head bowed sheepishly, fingers absently playing with the leather straps at Kurogane’s shoulder. He wasn’t sure what was going on inside of him or where this sudden shyness had come from. “I want you.” He couldn’t meet his eyes as he clearly stated his desire, but he felt a virginal flush burn across his face and touch the nape of his neck.

There was something about Fai's demeanor that stirred the darkest, deepest pit of Kurogane's feelings. Like there was this indescribable heat that bubbled, ready to spill over. It was unlike any desire he had ever felt before, and he was about to act on it when the bedroom door slammed open.

"I found something!" Syaoran ran in, then skidded to a halt, the book in his arms falling to the floor. His eyes widened at the state of the two men, and he hastily scrambled to pick the book up. "Sorry! I'll come back!" 

Kurogane snorted and shook his head. "You're here now, so just spill it." He nudged Fai off his lap to sit beside him, but he kept an arm around him.

There were three separate but equal emotions that ran through the mage’s mind. The first was to blast out with the first spell that could cross his lips(despite his condition): it was always dangerous to surprise a wizard. The second was to shrink back and hide away from the boy’s startled expression: to corrupt an innocent youth was unforgiveable. The third was to just lay back where Kurogane nudged him and let Syaoran stew for a moment on the sanctity of closed doors and the importance of knocking: Kids had to learn their lessons. The third won purely on a points of maturity, and Fai let himself curl into Kurogane’s side. It wasn’t like Syaoran wasn’t aware of nature of their relationship, and Fai had never shared Kurogane’s or Syaoran’s cultural aversion to most PDA’s, so why would he start now? They should all just be thankful there wasn't a smoldering hole in the wall.

"What did you find?"

Syaoran bit his lower lip as he hugged the book to his chest. He was clearly uncomfortable and feeling quite guilty for just rushing in, but this, he thought, would be worth it. He looked at the two older men for a moment before he opened the book to a page somewhere in the middle and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. "I found this book about those stones, and about the natural magic of the world. It was stuffed in the back of the bookcase behind a bunch of other books, and in it was this." 

He unfolded the parchment and held it so the others could see. It was a portrait of two people. Specifically, a very pregnant woman that looked like Sakura, and a very happy man that looked like Syaoran. It seemed to be painted in the library, since all the books were in the shelves behind them. "I think I found the owners of this house..."


	8. Hitsuzen

Kurogane looked at the parchment Syaoran held out before them. He did his best to keep his face as neutral as possible, even as he looked over the image of a young woman, her hands over her belly as she smiled at whomever sketched the portrait. The kid was right. It did look like Sakura, with her wide eyes and her bright smile. And the man standing with his hand on her shoulder absolutely looked like Syaoran. A happy man about to enjoy a happy life. He stared a moment at it before he shook his head. "And it was hidden?"

The kid nodded. "In the back of a bookshelf. I mean...this book was very deliberately hidden." He kept holding out the potrait with one hand, the book in another. "It's about the place we passed on the way here." He glanced at Fai before he looked back at Kurogane and continued. "And when I got to the part about the spirits of the stones protecting the land, this fell out." He shook the parchment a bit.

"Hm." Kurogane reached out and took the paper from the boy, looking it over with a slight frown. "This complicates things, doesn't it?"

Fai sunk back into the chair, legs crossing at his knee as he held his chin. His discolored eyes stared down at the paper but they were unfocused. They were looking beyond the familiar faces and into something deeper. Briefly his attention flickered up to Syaoran then back to the parchment. This one scape of ink and fiber could mean everything, or it could mean nothing at all. 

“Depends. In this world they could just be people.” Fai rubbed his chin, taking a deep breath before he leaned forward. “Or they could be Syaorankun’s parents.” But there was something about the way the mage spoke that made it seem like he didn’t believe either of those conclusions. A slender finger reached out and tenderly touched the image of Sakura’s pregnant belly. and for a moment he longed for the idea that those who left them behind actually had a chance at this type of happiness, despite leaving another in their wake. 

“What did it say about the stones?” Fai looked up at the boy, eyes gentle and kind as always when they regarded their charge.

Syaoran grimaced slightly. "I didn't finish reading. I ran right in here when I found that." He opened the book and flipped through some of the pages. "So far it's about the power the stones represent, as guardians of the land. That there's the belief that the stones themselves might represent the portal between this world and the spirit world, but no one has ever encountered anything that might give that belief weight." He glanced up at Fai again.

Kurogane frowned. "Until this idiot went over there." He shook his head and looked at Syaoran. "But you didn't finish right, so there might be more there..."

"Yes, but so far I haven't found anything about...you know." The boy sighed. "William is helping me when he doesn't have any chores. Actually, he's the one who told me to check the shelf where I found this book. I could have sworn I checked the shelf already, but there it was."

The mage didn’t say a word as he got up on unsteady feet. The surge of strength he had earlier left him to whatever was left on reserve, which wasn’t much, as he walked over to the boy. He lifted his arms to wrap around him as he laid cheek against the top of his head.

“Thank you…” He whispered. He wasn’t going to state the pain he was sure the boy felt. He wasn’t going mention any of the thoughts going through his head or say anything more about the possible identity of those people in the picture. He just wanted to hug him. “for working so hard.”

Syaoran tensed a little at the hug, but he put his free arm around Fai a little awkwardly. "Ah...Yes, well, we don't know anything yet." 

Kurogane watched, settling back and frowning just slightly. He looked down at the portrait again and waited until he was sure that long hug was coming to an end before he spoke. "You said William helped you? Did he just suggest it?"

Syaoran shook his head. "It was weird. He asked me about the shelves. I told him which ones I already checked, but then he pointed to it and told me to check again...thoroughly. He seemed a little off when he said it, but as soon as he did, he went back to sorting stacks of books for me."

When Fai slipped away he kept one arm around the boy’s shoulder for balance, as he looked back down at the sketch and the book again. “We could talk to him in the morning.” His eyes flickered. “He knows this house better than anyone.” Though the idea that Syaoran would have missed a book irked Fai. He knew how unlikely that was just based on being around the boy for as long as he has. Syaoran had an innate attention to detail. He wouldn’t have skimmed over something like that.

"Then I'll go back down there and tell him to get some rest. I think he's still working." Syaoran said, but he didn't move just yet. Instead, he looked at Kurogane.

"That's fine. He should sleep more anyway." Kurogane shrugged and folded up the sketch, holding it back out to the boy. "Keep this in that book, and keep the book with you. Sleep with it under your pillow if you need to, but don't put it down."

Syaoran blinked, but he took the paper and tucked it back into the tome, hugging the whole thing close to his chest. "Okay."

“You too. Get some rest.” Fai rested his weight against the large back of an arm chair. “We’ll all talk more in the morning.”

"All right." Syaoran looked at both of them once more before he walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Kurogane settled back and lifted his hand to his forehead, rubbing a little, as if it would stave off an impending headache. "That kid..."

"He takes after you." Fai smirked.

"No, I mean William." He sighed and looked at him. "That's not the first time he's done something like that."

"Oh?" Fai's arms crossed over the back of the chair.

"When I found him, it was in one of the cities. He was huddled in an alleyway, but as I walked by, he reached out and grabbed my arm. No one had done that. No one even wanted to look at me, but he did." He frowned and rubbed his forehead again. "And when I asked him about it later, he said he didn't know. His hand just moved out. I thought maybe it was because he was desperate to live. But he found the house that way too. He just started walking up the road."

Fai frowned in thought. "So you think he was drawn to you? To this place? Do you know anything about him from before?"

"No, nothing. He was just some poor kid in an alley." Kurogane shrugged. "I just thought he was really good at surviving, so he developed a sense for it. Once we found the house, he never did anything like that again."

"Until now." The mage came around the side of the chair to take up his position beside Kurogane. "Hitsuzen." He whispered softly.

Kurogane grunted a little, but he shifted a little to make it a bit more comfortable for Fai. "That's just going to piss me off."

A chuckle escaped behind the back of the mage's hand before he looked up at the bigger man. "Well that's nothing new."

"It was much easier getting through this when it was just a coincidence. If this shit was supposed to happen to me..." Kurogane clenched his fists.

Fai laid his head against the man's arm, his hand sliding down to hold his tightened fingers. "There are no such things as coincidences. But there's also not a fate written in stone. We were meant to come here, but the choices we make and the choices of others influence the overall outcome. There was still a 50/50 chance that you could have ignored the boy who reached out to you and that would have set a different chain of events in motion."

Kurogane kept clenching his fists until he could feel the nails cut into the palm of his real hand. He grunted a bit at Fai's words, but said nothing. He was able to cope being pulled in as a victim of circumstance, but for that curse to be the catalyst for everything else that happened or that will happen, including something he currently didn't know or understand, only made him angrier. To know that there was nothing that could have been done to prevent it made him feel a little helpless, though he would never admit that.

"Hey." Fingers that were slender and cool reached up and gently guided the ninja’s head down. Sapphire gems danced through their molten bed of gold as the mage looked into the other's eyes. The backs of naturally smooth nails stroked the day's worth of stubble on Kurogane’s cheek, the texture akin to a fine grained sandpaper. 

"You're not alone any more. And we're not weak. And we're certainly not the type that will roll over and just take it. We're here because we're fighters. Because no one else in all the dimensions would be able to make something like this right again." Fai’s thumb stroked just under the man's lip, and that smile, that always too warm of a smile, curved the edges of the blonde's mouth.

Kurogane's clenched fists relaxed slightly, but only enough to keep the cuts on his palm from deepening. He listened to the mage's words, and he tried to be comforted by the way his fingers touched his face, but there was just too much going on for it to be that easy. He frowned a bit, but he made no move to pull away from the other man. "That doesn't make it okay." He muttered, lowering his gaze because if he looked into those accepting eyes, he might just hate himself a little more.

“No, it doesn’t make it okay.” Fai repeated back to him, adjusting his head so that Kurogane had no choice but to look him in the eyes, and what he saw in those blood stained depths clenched in his chest. So much sadness mixed with a tortured spirit. Anger started to build once again in the mages stomach. There were few people he could hate in his life and even fewer that he couldn’t forgive. But for a man to take someone like Kurogane, a kind, loving, soul like his and warp it? It went beyond Fai’s abilities for compassion or mercy. But for now he bit it back. He let the building storm quell. His next words were spoken for the ninja and himself as well.

“And there is nothing that can be said, or done to make any of it better. You went through hell in this place and I can’t change that.” Gently, he pulled Kurogane to him guiding him back as he pressed further into the couch. His small frame becoming little more than a pillow for the nearly hulking figure of his lover as he brought the ninja’s head to lay against his leanly muscled chest. “But I can be here for you now. I can’t heal the scars, but I can try to prevent the wounds.”

At first he was tempted to resist, but instead Kurogane just let himself be pulled wherever Fai wanted to pull him, and as he found himself settled against the smaller frame of the mage, he let out a sigh and unclenched his fists completely. He hated feeling like this. It made him angry to know there was that helpless part of him. He was supposed to be the rock. He was supposed to be the one who had all if it together, and all it took was a carving to take that away. He tried to sink into Fai, letting that slight scent of pine, citrus and sage calm him. 

Long fingers stroked through black hair before finding the knot that held Kurogane’s bandana firmly to his head. They made quick work of it and laid the cloth on the back of the couch before continuing to work through his hair. Fai wanted to tell him that it was okay to break down, that it was a different kind of strength to allow others to support you, but they each had spent a life time as pawns for others, only to break free, and for Kurogane to find himself back in someone else’s game. He hadn’t expected Syaoran’s revelation to hit the man as hard as it did, but it only took a grain to tip the scales.

At some point in his musing he noticed he had been humming. It was an unfamiliar tune, something the mage had picked up some time ago. He couldn’t remember the place, but it was a mother soothing a crying child as she held him to her chest. There had been words then, but time caused them to decay from memory leaving only the gentle notes.

This went against everything he was, but he couldn't pull away. He just let Fai comfort him and do as he would. He let himself sink into it and, even if just for a moment, feel like he was worthy of such things. But after a moment, he lifted his head from the other man's chest and looked at him, unsure of what to say, so he reached out with his real hand, blood smeared on his palm and fingers, and he touched the mage's cheek. He didn't care if he dirtied him. He had done far worse. But as he smeared the red on that pale white flesh, something sparked, and within seconds he was crushing the other man's lips with his own.

Fai didn’t speak, only gasped between their lips before they were crushed again. His fingers which were gentle only moments before now gripped at the black locks, holding the man in place as their tongues searched each other out. His own more timid than it had been in the past as though unsure and unpracticed. That feeling of new sensations started to trickle back to him through flood gate that had been open just moments after he’d given Kurogane his true name.

He only broke that kiss for air, but he did not pull away more than was necessary. The fingers gripping his hair stirred something else inside him, and before he took the mage's mouth in another heated kiss, he murmured "Yui" softly.

He whimpered at the sound of his name, his cheeks burning, the flush caused by embarrassment, excitement, and building lust of a person still left untouched by the world. The sensation was almost overwhelming as Fai allowed it to take control of him and surrender himself back, allowing his body to tremble and his hips to writhe trying to press closer to the larger man.

Kurogane groaned as he pulled himself back enough so that he was no longer pressing Fai into the cushions. He looked down at him, the smears on his cheek, the way that pale flesh flushed even beneath the blood. He knew from the way the smaller man trembled that he could easily take him right there, and while that only caused the need to burn just a bit hotter, he knew that if he did that, both of them might not recover. Not when this was the first time after giving their souls to one another. No. This couldn't be some desperate need for comfort. This had to be something else.

When Kurogane pulled away, Fai’s eyes finally opened again, confused and darkened by a need so deep even he didn’t completely understand, but he raised his hand up touching other’s bottom lip, his skin looking paler still against the sun tortured tan of Kurogane’s flesh. “Youou?”

Kurogane kissed the fingers that came to his lip, looking down at the other man. The need was still so obvious in his eyes, and so he leaned down again, but this time giving him a much more chaste kiss. "The bed."

He gave a hesitant nod, but a relieved breath that escaped him erased any doubt. Relocating sounded better than stopping due to some strange and sudden sense of honor. So he leaned he body up, replacing his fingers with his lips before he whispered. “You’re on me.” 

He couldn't help the slight chuckle that escaped at that. "Forgive me, then." He moved, but only enough to pick Fai up, one arm under his legs, the other at his back. He smirked a bit more, knowing that he would probably get hit for carrying the other man like a girl, but he did it anyway, still smirking even as he laid him back on the bed.

Fai’s face had managed to capture and even darker shade of red as he looked up at Kurogane. The blonde hair fanning out behind him like a golden halo only extenuated the darkness of his cheeks. He was about to lift is arm to hit the other man and prattle something off about how he’s not a woman before the burning intensity in Kurogane’s eyes left him mute. 

The shyness came back almost tenfold when the reality of their situation sunk in. This wasn’t playing around in someone's apartment, this wasn’t going to be awkward desperate fumbling in an abandoned village, and this wasn’t a desperate plea for help. This was something on a completely different level and as that all came down on him he timidly hid his face behind his hand. It suddenly became too much.

"Do you want me to stop?" Kurogane wanted Fai to know that he would if the other man wanted him to. That this was an important moment, one that they'd never be able to take back if they went through with it. It was like being young all over again. That first thrill. The act of being with someone in a way unlike ever before. If it was too much for Fai, then it was too much for him. Although he did find the shyness and the hiding behind his hand a bit too cute.

Those weird sensations aside, Fai had never made love to anyone before. He’d had sex, had his fun or got his release but it had never felt like this. Consorts, soldiers, nobles, and villagers, none of them could even touch the way Kurogane was making him feel now. Fai had been numb, let most people do as they pleased, but that wasn’t who he was any more. Yui was exposed, vulnerable, and open to this man who leaned over him with eyes reflecting just as much need as his own body felt. “D..don’t.” He whispered. “Don’t stop.” His hands dropped away from his face, baring more of himself to the crimson scrutiny of his lover’s eyes before he let them drop to the front of his tunic. His fingers fumbled against the clasp as his nerves made those nimble digits uncharacteristically tremble.

Kurogane lowered his hands to touch Fai's as they fumbled with the clasp. He wasn't sure if the smaller man was nervous or scared, but this time he wanted to be as comforting as he could. He wanted to do for Fai what no one had ever done for him before, as if that would make him feel needed and necessary. He wanted to do it for Fai, and he wanted to do it for himself, too. "Here...let me help." He gently pushed those smaller hands away and unclasped the cloth.

He nodded as his hands fell to his side, unsure of what to do with them, so they moved into the blankets as his eyes tried to look anywhere but at the face that was looking down at him, watching as each release of a clip exposed new flesh, still fresh from his bath and chilled by his winter walk into the garden.

"Look at me..." Kurogane whispered it as he pushed the tunic open to expose more than just that sliver of flesh. His hands moved from the clasps, the synthetic one resting on one of Fai's hips as he slid that flesh one up his chest. The blood on his fingers and palm was dry now, so he didn't leave any marks on that pristine, pale skin.

“I-I can’t.” But even as those words left the mage’s mouth, he forced his eyes up and to stare up at Kurogane’s face, and any other complaints left him. Unable to speak he took up his lip between his teeth, worrying it gently before he moaned at the touch of other’s hand moving over him. They were calloused, rough, and felt amazing against skin that seemed to be getting more sensitive with each passing second.

Once Kurogane had his gaze, he held it, even as a finger brushed against one of Fai's sensitive peaks. As he used the hand at his hip to move and untie his pants, though he didn't push them down just yet. 

He was rewarded with bashful gasps and whimpers that were made more lewd by their reservation. The sounds of budding pleasure started to fill the room, and become a concerto as the more pleasurable areas came under the ninja’s attack. “Y..youou…”

Kurogane leaned down and kissed along Fai's jaw, his fingertips sliding up to his collarbone and tracing it towards his neck. 

“Aah…” Fai’s eyes started to flutter closed as his head moved to offer more to him.

His lips continued to move along his jaw, towards his earlobe, his tongue coming out to taste the sensitive flesh there. And as he did that, he slowly inched the man's pants down, exposing him.

Fai took a shaken breath his hands twisted into the furs and blankets of the bed, hips lifting as if on instinct when he was no longer confined by cloth. “Youou..it.. it’s..”

"Hm? What is it?" Kurogane whispered into his ear, lifting his hand from his neck only to bring it down to trail warm fingers along his upper thigh. 

Fai turned out his leg to leave more skin for Kurogane’s caress as his hips started to twist.

Those fingers danced slowly, teasingly over the newly exposed skin. Kurogane let them inch closer to the source of Fai's need, but then he slid them down and continued with his gentle touches.

“Ah-AH!” The touch of his fingers, hot and wanting, against his icy skin sent a pleasant thrill straight to Fai’s sex, and he mewled with a note of pleasure.

Kurogane couldn't help the smirk that came to his lips at that. He hadn't even really touched him yet and he was reacting that way. It made him want to see the mage's reaction that much more, but he would wait. His fingers continued to stroke his inner thigh, still keeping it gentle.

One white hand untangled itself from the sheets and reached down to grasp at the synthetic one that held Fai’s hips firmly in place, while the other hand lifted to place a knuckle between the mage’s teeth as he bit down to hold back those sounds. He was losing control of himself far quicker than he’d like to admit, he wanted everything all at once but at the same time he didn’t want any of this to end.

"Why won't you let me hear you?" Kurogane whispered as he lowered his lips to kiss the wrist of the hand at his mouth. As he did so, he let his fingers slowly trail upwards, hovering over his heat but not touching it just yet.

“Nnm… I…” Fai felt his whole body quake with the touch of Kurogane’s lips against the tender flesh under his wrist. He was too sensitive. “I’ve never.. I’ve…” He searched for the right words but all he could come up with was, “ It’s never felt like this.”

"No? And what does this feel like?" He knew making the other man talk wasn't going to give him the most comprehensive answers, but hearing his voice in that state of need was something Kurogane desired more than he cared to admit. 

“Like I never have. Like everywhere you touch is something new and I don’t… know how to..” A sigh of pleasure broke his words, lust now darkening his eyes to a perfect shades of honey and midnight.

"So should I keep doing this?" The larger man grinned as his fingers traced back along his thigh, up to his abdomen. "Or should I do more?"

“More.” There was a long pause before he took the hand from his mouth and wrapped it behind Kurogane’s neck, pulling him down to him as if to prevent the air from hearing his next word. “Please.”

Kurogane grinned a little as he found himself even closer. "Since you asked so nicely." He whispered as his hand moved and his fingers slid along the mage's heat.

“Ah!” Fai’s head arched back pulling the other man into his neck has his hand gripped his hair on reflex. The fingers around Kurogane’s bionic wrist tightened with the loss of control and pressed into the arm’s synthetic flesh.

Kurogane smirked and licked at Fai's neck as his fingers danced over his extra sensitive flesh. He moved them slowly, only curling his hand around his sex once he was sure Fai had enough of the soft teases.

This type of deliberate gentleness was driving Fai crazy. Never in all of his life had anyone bothered to treat him as anything more than a means to an end, both in and out of the bedroom. That’s all he was for most people, even those who meant well. 

Fai had been loved, he didn’t doubt that. Ashura-ou loved him as any father would love a son. However, that love was born of pity and tainted by the influence of Fei Wong. But here was Kurogane, a man that had no obligation to him, nothing to gain from him, and more reason than most people to hate him, giving him everything and asking nothing in return other than for him to just love him back. Oh, Fai knew that the ninja would probably never say those words, but Kurogane knew that he never had to with him.

“Youou..” Fai moaned his name as his body succumbed to the pleasure that he was brought to at Kurogane’s agonizingly slow pace. Such sweet torture.

Kurogane forced himself to calm a little after hearing his name, his hand keeping that slow pace. He didn't want to rush this. He wanted to make sure that this was unlike every other time. That this was something they both would never be able to get over. "What is it, Yui?" He whispered against the other man's neck. Two could play at that game.

The blonde shook his head, his words swallowed by delicate moan and the sounds of heavy panting as he came ever closer to white hot edge.

Kurogane moved his hand faster enough to be noticeable, but not fast enough to really be too quick. He grinned and licked at Fai's neck, brushing his lips against the wet flesh once he was done.

Fai came. His body arching up from the bed. His voice catching so it only could come out in a pitched mewl of desire as the evidence of his pleasure left its white mark against flesh and left it dirtied and hot.

Kurogane lifted his head from Fai's neck and looked down at him, the grin only spread more as he took in every inch of the other man after that climax. His mechanical hand remained on his hip, and he ignored the way Fai's hand continued to clutch that wrist. The other lifted, pulling away from his body so he could get a better look.

When he pulled away Fai’s hand dropped from his neck and landed softly against his the flat of his stomach. His eyes stared up, unfocused. His movements were languid and still hampered by the aftershocks of his orgasm as that hand moved, absently smearing his essence against his skin.

Kurogane's eyes darkened as he watched that, but he remained composed as he continued to look down at Fai. "Too much?" He asked after a moment, his gaze finally making it back to the other man's face.

Fai slowly shook his head after the last tremor left him. “I’m okay.”

"Just okay?" He leaned in again and brushed his lips over Fai's. "Or more than okay?"

"More than." Fai whispered as he kissed him.

"Good." Kurogane returned the kiss, keeping his body just over Fai's.

"What about you?" Fai dragged his clean hand up the other's fake arm until it flatted against the back of his shoulder.

"What about me? I'm not the one who just writhed in pleasure." Kurogane smirked. "You were, hm? So I was checking on you."

That blush darkened and the blonde ducked his head just a little. Normally he would have some sort of comeback to that. A dirty reply, perhaps? Or an offer to 'return the favor.' But something inside of him made those words impossible.

"And so, if you are okay..." He gently lifted his hand from Fai's hip and rested it on the one on his shoulder. "You should get some rest."

When the mage looked up at him the confusion there was obvious.

"Unless you want to do something else." Kurogane smirked, and he clearly knew what he was doing.

"I..." Fai swallowed and searched for that bolder side of him, but he came up with just a whisper. "I want more."

Fai's innocence was endearing, especially since Kurogane knew the other man was being genuine. "More hm?" He smiled and removed the hand from his shoulder, sitting back and pulling his shirt off. He kept his eyes on Fai as he reached for the ties of his own breeches. "This kind of more?"

"This kind." Despite himself he reached out and gently nudge Kurogane's fingers out of the way. “Let me.” It wasn't the first time he'd undressed the man, and even with this new timidity, Fai could at least do that much.

Slowly his fingers pulled the tie, watching it as it came undone, his throat going dry as he pulled the restricting cloth away from his sex.

Kurogane's eyes narrowed a little as Fai pulled the cloth away, hissing just slightly when the cooler air hit his warmer flesh. "So this is the kind of more you want?" If he could deflect back to Fai's desires, at least he could try to keep his own in check.

Fai's eyes lifted up to Kurogane's face and he nodded. "I want more of you. Will you give me that?" A long shaky sigh escaped him and leaned in closer, his hand against Kurogane's chest. "I want all of Youou."

"I will give you anything you want." Kurogane leaned in and kissed him, his eyes closing at the contact of their lips.

"There's nothing else but that." Fai kissed him again, pressing closer to his body so he could feel Kurogane's heat against him.

"Oh? That's all Yui wants then?" He started to chuckle, but Fai's body elicited a soft groan from his lips. "Well, I should give it to you hm?"

“I want you to be mine.”

Kurogane groaned and shifted enough so that he could pull Fai as close as possible. "I will give you what I can." He whispered and pushed his hips up enough to move himself a little against the other.

The heat of Kurogane’s need moved against Fai’s hip as he moved his own hands down the ninja’s sides, slipping them around his hips to tease his flesh with a barely there touch.

Kurogane had been sinking into it, but as Fai's hands came too close to that spot, his whole body tensed and he looked at him, some of the darkness fading from his eyes. "Don't..." He whispered, but he didn't pull himself back.

“Eh?” He whispered against his cheek. Pulling his head back just enough before realizations dawned on him. The brand. And now that he was aware, he could feel its hateful heat against the tips of his fingers, a warning not to touch. 

Another emotion came crashing into him, something dark and possessive, and very jealous. It overrode that gentle hesitance and became something Fai was getting to be more familiar with. Anger. It flared in his eyes, no longer kept in check, as he thought of a part of Kurogane belonging to anyone but him. The fact that there was a piece of Kurogane, be it physical, emotional, or spiritual, that Fai couldn’t possess harshened his kiss as he placed it against Kurogane’s lips, his hands pressing into the small of the ninja’s back as if that could get him closer.

Kurogane whimpered a little into the kiss. He certainly wasn't expecting him to react that way, and now that he did, the ninja knew he needed to calm the other man. This couldn't be like it was earlier. This needed to be something else. "Yui..." He whispered after the kiss broke, his hands lifting to cup his cheeks. "Look at me..."

Fai fought it, as well as he could before he looked up at the ninja, instantly feeling shame and guilt. His hands let up and moved gently around his back in an embrace.

"Better." Kurogane whispered and kissed him gently, holding him close once again. "Don't think about anyone but me right now, hm?"

The low soft timber of Kurogane's voice and the soothing kiss steadied him and calmed the building ache in his chest. "I'm sorry. I just ..."

"You don't need to apologize." He kissed Fai again, stroking his cheek gently. "Just stay with me hm?"

"Mmm, I won't go anywhere." Fai whispered back, his lips nuzzling along the ninja's jaw. "I'm yours. If I can't have all of you." His hand slid around his shoulder and graced his fingertips along Kurogane's jaw. "For now, let me give you all of me." He kissed him again gently, and lovingly as he laid back against the bed, using that barely there touch of his fingers as a tether to pull him back over him.

Kurogane went with him, leaning over him as he settled back. He slid his hands down Fai's body and let them rest on his hips, holding him as he pressed his body closer.

"Is that okay?"

"Do you see me arguing?" 

"No," Fai laughed against their lips as he felt Kurogane press his heat against his hip.

"Then why wouldn't it be okay?" He smiled a bit at Fai's laugh before leaning down to kiss him again.

Fai's eyes closed as he sank back into the bed, their kiss going from playful to heated the more they lingered together.

Kurogane gripped his hips lightly and settled against him, rocking just a little as he made the kiss even hotter, his body pressing Fai more into the bed the wood and black iron groaning against their weight.


	9. Chill

A long finely etched ivory leg hooked around the back of the ninja’s thigh. The lean muscle on the inner side went taut as he pressed and rubbed against the man, the motion pushing offending pants further down to rid Kurogane completely of their restrictions.

Kurogane groaned and slid his hand from the mage's hip, along that thigh a little, gripping it gently as he shifted and moved against him.

White teeth down on a swollen lip as Fai felt masculine need press urgently against his hip, eliciting an uninhibited arch of his spine.

A groan escaped the larger man's lips as his heat rubbed against the other man's flesh. Kurogane leaned in and kissed Fai's jaw, his lips brushing against him as he gripped his thigh again. His other hand moved to rest on the bed so he could brace himself as he rubbed once more before pushing himself up, breaking the contact. 

But before Fai could really question him, he quickly grabbed that salve from the other night and brought it back to the bed, leaning in to kiss the other man again as he coated his fingers and lowered his hand to prepare him for the next step.

A shiver wracked through the mage’s body as it came into direct opposition of the willingness of the mind. His legs, upon feeling Kurogane’s touch and sensing the intent, wished to close against the intended intrusion. It was instinctual in reaction yet foreign to Fai and something that could be overpowered by sure will.

Meek trembling hands traveled down the outer edges of lean abs before slipping down over his own thighs and holding them open. The action, for its lewdness, forced Fai to finally break eye contact with his lover and turn his head away. His ears stood out against the pale blond curtain, still pink with embarrassment and seemed to be getting redder by the second.

"Look at me." Kurogane could only be so patient, and while Fai's body language made it clear that he was okay with him, with this, looking away from him made him a bit unsure. He watched the other man as he moved his fingers, gently, as if afraid too much movement would make his partner break. 

The command fell to deaf ears as Fai could only focus on the motion of those fingers pressing inside of him. His lip slipped from his teeth as he allowed a soft yet broken mewl escape. Slowly and ever so carefully, his body started to move, hips lifting as pliancy settled into his flesh. Then, without hearing the words and without turning his head, his eyes found Kurogane’s. They were dark with a growing desire, and enhanced by shades of blue overthrowing gold for dominance.

Kurogane's eyes narrowed when Fai looked at him without turning his head. Was the man purposely trying to tease him like that, even when he was doing this? But he didn't change the way he moved his fingers, still treating Fai as if he were the most fragile thing. So instead he leaned down and tucked his face into the other man's neck, hiding himself from that gaze.

The touch Kurogane’s breath against neck, the feel of his lashes as they brushed against his his skin, and the shockingly soft press of his lips as they moved subtly with unvoiced moans made Fai’s body quiver. Kurogane was holding himself in check. He could feel his sex straining against his own leg, feel it move with need and begging for attention even as Kurogane took his time, tormenting himself to make sure Fai could have everything he wanted. “Youou,” the name dripped like honey from kiss bruised lips. “I’m-” He kissed the shell of an ear and put a bit more strength into his voice. “I’m ready.”

Kurogane groaned a bit and shook his head a little, though he pulled his fingers back and let Fai settle against him. He didn't know how much he should do, or how long he could contain himself, especially given the use of his name. So he didn't lift his head just yet, pressing his face against the other man's neck just a bit more.

Slender fingers slid down the center of Kurogane’s back before slowly dragging back up to push into his hair. “You’re so patient.” Fai kissed his ear again, this time letting his lips nuzzle the shell. “But remember, I said you could have all of me. I meant it. Yui belongs to Youou now.” His fingers came down and gently touched Kurogane’s jaw. “I’m completely yours. And when all this is over you’ll be mine, but for now all I can do this.” 

Was Fai scared? Yes. That part of him that opened up with the gifting of his name still made his body thrill with virginal giddiness with every one of the ninja’s touches. But he trusted this man over him, trusted him with everything he was. 

"If you mean it," Kurogane murmured against Fai's neck, "then why wouldn't you look at me?" He lifted his head and looked down at the mage, searching his face for some semblance of an answer. "I won't ask for anything else. I don't need anything else, but don't turn away from me." He shook his head slightly and closed his eyes. He couldn't quite admit that there was something inside of him that needed that. He wouldn't say how important it was to him. And while he knew there was a part of him he couldn't give over yet, if he was going to trust Yui with all of Youou, he needed the same.

Fai swallowed and turned his head up. His eyes met Kurogane’s, even has his mouth suddenly felt like it had gone dry and made his stomach jounce. His cheeks had become so much darker than before, and with that straightforward look, his voice couldn’t help but soften to a meek whisper. “Better?” 

Kurogane didn't think it was possible for someone's cheeks to turn so red. Fai looked like he was about to pop, but he simply smiled at him. "Yes." He leaned in and kissed him, his real hand lifting to stroke one of the mage's red cheeks. "Keep looking at me. Always look at me." He whispered against his lips. 

“Kimi ga mieteimasu. _(I see you)_ ” Fai whispered back, kissing him as the foreign words filled the gap between their lips. There was something about using Kurogane’s language, something that for now, only existed for them. Was it perfect? No. He was self-taught through books and scrolls he acquired over time. At first it was meant for more of his usual teasing and daily torments of the gruff man, but as their relationship developed it became more. Fai had been given an insight into what something like that could mean to the ninja, and to use it in jest seemed more cruel than anything. 

For Fai is was a simple effort to learn, then to override Mokona’s with mere intent. For Kurogane it was his home, a reminder of a palace of warmth with gentle souls looking over him and a kind princess guiding him. He never wished to be sent away, he was not prepared for it and had no idea what was waiting for him on the other side of that portal, and he had no idea when he would be allowed the right to return home. It allowed every foreign word Fai spoke to be a gift meant only for him.

He couldn't help it. Something about hearing those words hit a point inside he didn't think could be hit. Kurogane took Fai's mouth again, kissing him with such passion that his own body couldn't contain his feelings as he pressed right up against the other man.

“Mmmph! I take it… I said it right?” Fai panted heavily after the kiss broke. He knew it was corny, and he was well aware that it might even seem a little lame, but Fai had lived a long time and had seen how even the smallest things, like a smile or a touch to a hand could make a difference in a soul that was hurting and lonely.

"Aa." Kurogane kissed him again and pressed against him once more, lowering his hands to Fai's hips to position him properly before he pushed into him. Every touch was gentle, every movement slow. He wanted to make sure the other man really understood what it all meant.

“Ah-AH!” Fai gasped as his arms tightened around Kurogane’s shoulders, the strength in them shocking considering how weak the mage was just hours before. As he moved inside him, as their heat became one, a pace was found between Kurogane’s gentle thrusts and Fai’s unsteady hips.

"Keep looking at me..." He whispered as his body moved against the mage's. His eyes locked onto that face. 

“I won’t look away.” Fai managed to pant out, his toes curling against the sheets as their pace quickened.

"Good." Kurogane held his hips a little more firmly, though he was careful not to press his fingers in too much. The last thing he wanted to do was make this what it was the other night. And so he held Fai's gaze as he moved, trying to convey as much of himself as he could.

That look was killing him, slowly but surely it was killing him. Those crimson eyes were never meant to be so gentle when regarding him. That touch was never meant to be so perplexingly tender. They were never meant to be like this. All futures pointed out their gory fates, either by their own hands or those of others, neither of them were meant to make it this far. However, they had threaded and woven their fates so tightly together that a history of what was, is and will be and become undone. What he saw in those eyes was the tapestry of what they were, are, and will be. The words left him now as if they were the most natural thing to say. “I love you.”

Kurogane couldn't even act calm and composed at those words, which took him completely off guard. His eyes widened, and his hips slowed. He had heard such things before, but they were always empty. These words were filled with more than he could even begin to comprehend. More than a lifetime would allow, and he wasn't totally sure how to handle it. So he did the only thing he could think of doing. He smiled.

Fai had been told that there were only two times a life span where a man’s heart can actually stop. One being the moment he dies, but another is when he finds his soulmate. The heart supposedly alters its rhythm in order to find the tempo of the other. So that they can continue to beat as one.

Fai felt his heart stop in his chest up and before he could utter another thought he brought him down for crushing kiss, feeling Kurogane’s pulse below his fingers, against his lips, and where they were intimately connected. It was fast and heated by the rush of blood through his body and as Fai’s heart started up again, he could no long tell the difference between the beat of his own and that of the ninja’s.

Kurogane groaned into that kiss and moved his hands from Fai's hips, wrapping his arms around the other man's body and holding him so close that it would be impossible to tell where one of them ended and the other began. When the kiss broke, he kept his lips just brushing against Fai's, feeling the way they trembled. He closed his eyes and listened to the way they both breathed unevenly, but still in time with each other.

“Yo-youou..” Fai mewled out his name between their breaths. He was so close to that edge, but he didn’t want to jump alone. “Wit-with me. Please.”

"Aa." Kurogane kissed him again, pushing himself just a bit more to bring them both over that edge, shuddering and trembling together.

Fai’s arms and legs tighten around him, along with is body as he reach the precipice. “Youou!” He came, back coming up in sybaritic arch as he cried out his lover’s name.

"Yui..." He moaned and pressed his face into Fai's neck, doing his best to hold on without going overboard as they came down from that climax.

Enervated limbs slid down and into the bed accented by a sound that was similar to that of a pleased purr. “Mmm.” 

Kurogane pulled back, disconnecting his body from Fai's completely, but remaining close over him so he could continue to look down at him. "Are you still looking at me?"

"Yes, I said I would."

"Good." He settled down and pulled Fai into his arms again, but making sure the other man could comfortably lay his head against his shoulder. "Then make sure you see me even when you sleep."

Fai laughed tiredly as he nuzzled into the other man’s broad chest, kissing where he could before settling down. “Hard to do with my eyes closed. But we’ll see what my dreams will do.”

Kurogane chuckled and shook his head a little before he shifted once more, pressing his lips into Fai's hair. "Just sleep."

"Mmn." One more purr left the mage's lips as he nodded off.

Kurogane waited until he was sure the mage was asleep before he untangled himself from him and slid carefully out of the bed. He didn't want to disturb the other man, not yet, not when rest was so important. He watched him for a moment, the way his breathing moved his body just slightly. He was too exposed though, and if Kurogane looked at him any longer, he might jump on him again, so he pulled the blanket up enough to reduce that temptation significantly.

He stretched a little and walked to the window, looking out, though it was too dark to see much of anything. Even the moon wasn't shining as brightly as it should have. He frowned and pulled on his pants and shoved his feet into his boots, not bothering with anything else as he left the room and walked down the stairs. Of course he had let his guard down long enough for something to happen. Of course something would happen when he was just starting to feel a little more comfortable. 

Kurogane walked through the kitchen and opened the door to the courtyard, snorting a bit when the cold air hit his warmed skin. He hadn't bothered with a shirt, and he was starting to regret it. But even a shirt couldn't have stopped the unnatural way the air seemed to curl around him, as if reminding him what this world really was. He slammed the door and pulled one of the benches in front of it, as if that would stop any wind from entering the manor. he headed back up to the room, not even glancing over at the bed to check on Fai before he tossed more wood onto the fire.

There was a murmur from the bed, a soft gentle sigh of contented sleep. The owner completely unaware of the storm brewing in the thoughts of the man by the fire. The lithe frame only shifted and nuzzled the pillow that was stolen from the place Kurogane vacated only moments before. 

Kurogane glanced over his shoulder at the sound and the movement, but he only looked for a few seconds before bringing his attention back to the fire. The chill still clung to him, but it was fading.

Fai’s whole body started to feel cold and there was a murmur of displeasure. It was unlike anything he had felt before. The gradual drop in temperature became a sudden plummet, and cobalt eyes flashed open, accompanied by a strangled gasp. This had been a relentless sensation, like a splash of ice water over his whole body, freezing him into a solid state and it all happened in a second. It scarcely allowed enough time for his mind to gather what was happening, but when it had, he was already sitting up in the bed, hands clenched into fists against the blankets. He wasn’t sure if he had made any audible sound or if it had been in his head. He knew what the sensation was, he had just never felt it that acutely before. His eyes darted around until they found Kurogane’s back hunched over the fire and the mage forced his voice out. “Kurosama, they’re fighting. Something. I can feel my magic…” He shivered, hands holding bare arms. 

"They're not taking anything from you are they?" Kurogane turned, but kept his position by the fire. "He's retaliating. The land is dying again." He shook his head a little and looked back at the flames. "Come over here where it's warmer."

“No.” Fai stood up, his legs wobbling at first before finding their strength, and he walked over to the other man, wrapping the black fur blanket around his body as he did so. He sat down beside him, resisting the urge to lean against him for barely a minute before his head laid against the synthetic arm. “I can feel it though. Feel it in the air, feel what it’s fighting. If that makes sense. I’ve never felt a power like that before. Void of any light or warmth.” Most magic was built off a balance. It was creation, and it was destruction. It was good and it was bad. It could corrupt and it could purify. What Fai felt in that second was dark, cruel, and definition of cold malice. He swore he even felt his freshly healed fingers tingle as it touched upon him.

"It's swallowing any light it touches. The moon can't even shine properly." Kurogane shook his head and sat on the floor, pulling Fai into his arms as if his body could somehow provide some extra warmth. "When the wave passes, they will come. He hasn't called for me, so I imagine he plans on destroying me with this place."

Fai curled inside the cocoon of warmth Kurogane provided, his own arms wrapping securely around the ones that held him. He felt, not small, not protected, but treasured and safe. “I won’t let him. I just got you back. How could I possibly let you go?” He turned his head up a little so he could see the larger man’s face. There was no longer a trace of gold left in those eyes, but they seemed to radiate gently with untapped potential.

"I'm not going to die here." Kurogane looked down at him, his eyes half closed. Maybe it was the reassurance, or maybe the fire was finally starting to warm him, but Kurogane felt more confident about that statement than he ever had before. "And you're not. And the kids aren't. I'll make sure of it." 

"Will you let me help you?"

"Could I ever really stop you?"

“No,” Fai said with a smile, and then there was something of a bashful bow of his head, his loose hair falling forward to hide his face. “I want to protect you. For a change.”

"I can't promise that you'll be able to, but I'm not going to stop you if something happens." Kurogane shrugged a little. "Not that anything will happen. I'm not going to let it."

That blonde head nodded, his face nuzzling into one of the man’s biceps. “I won’t let him hurt you anymore.” Those fingers twitched again as if to remind him of a vow that was made just a night or two ago when hardened eyes stared out a window into a winter expanse as Kurogane slept restlessly before him.

"I know." Kurogane closed his eyes and held the smaller man. 

Fai curled himself in a little more, content to sit in a comfortable silence. He slipped his fingers down one arm and forced them between Kurogane’s. He then took the other hand and pulled that arm tighter around himself.

Kurogane let him move his arms as he wanted, though he did shift a little to make their position more comfortable. He opened his eyes again to watch the flames, which flickered as the cold crept into the chimney. Any light outside was now completely smothered by darkness, leaving those flames as the only source of light in the room.

Fai’s pulse quickened a little as he watched the darkness creep in and with it grew a fear. A child’s fear. One that was terrified the dark and what all came along with it. But it was only that, a distant memory. A faint recollection of a time when he was alone. But he wasn’t that any more. He wasn’t a lot of things any more. He had Kurogane, he had a family. “The kids. Will they be okay?”

"Yeah. They should be. This won't do anything just yet." Kurogane stared at the fire. "It'll get colder, and the grass and trees will start to die, but we won't."

“The people, in the village?”

"They won't. None of them ever do, not from the darkness anyway. When it pushes through, he'll send the armies... That's when people die."

“Is that,” Fai swallowed as the words hitched in his throat. “Is that what he made you do?”

Kurogane clenched his jaw and nodded once. He didn't want to verbally admit it, nor did he want to admit to Fai that he lost count of how many people he had actually been forced to kill.

There was a blinding flash of red and white the streaked across Fai’s vision. The wizard knew it for what it was, raw unadulterated rage. The spike of it almost hurt like a whip lashing at his mind, but it was only for a second before a peace settled into his body and he allowed his eyes to close. Fai didn’t feel anger any longer, he didn’t feel any murderous intent. There was just one cold hard facet of reality. He was going to kill that man. There were no words left, no desires or wishes that could possibly save or damn that dark mage’s soul any further. He had reached the brink of any hope for salvation and pushed himself off. The thoughts were dark but Fai knew he owned the other’s life, and it was simple as that and there was nothing more he could feel for him. 

What he did feel was pain, heart breaking, soul shattering pain. “Youou.” He whispered softly as he took one of those hands. They were hands that were forcibly stained in the blood of innocents that pooled into a number the mage knew he would rather not know. Gently he brought the hand to his lips and kissed the palm of it, and whispering an oath as soft lips brushed upon the scar that branded the ninja’s hand on the day of his mother’s death.

The words he spoke were foreign, rhythmic, and gentle. It sounded more like it belonged to the tomes of a temple than the lips of a mage.

Kurogane's brows furrowed at the attention to his hand. He couldn't focus on those strange words, not that he would have known what they would have meant anyway, but the attention the mage was giving to something that had killed so many people was almost too much. He didn't pull away, though, since he didn't want to hurt Fai. But he didn't want to feel this unsure and uncomfortable for much longer, either. "I don't know what you're saying..."

“I take upon myself to remove what has been forced upon you. I cleanse thee as an instrument of light, and cast it upon the dark. I bless the souls that have touched upon misfortune and as the instrument I plead thee to move on and detach from the world to be born anew with a light heart and leave behind only forgiveness. What was done by the hands be it not sanctioned by the soul.” Fai spoke the words through the power of Mokona so Kurogane could understand them as he pressed his lips against the fingers of the other hand.

“I said it before, I’m a far cry from a priest, but I can at least do this.” It was a purification rite. Fai had heard the words time and again as Celes soldiers returned from war, but this was the first time he had ever uttered the words himself.

"Is something supposed to happen? Kurogane shook his head a little and sighed. Whatever Fai was trying to do, the sentiment certainly got across, but the ninja didn't feel any different. Nor did he feel any warmer as another gust of wind blew down the chimney and caused the flames to flicker again. He let go of the mage long enough to put some more wood on the fire, hoping the fuel would keep it burning long enough for this to pass.

“No, not for you. It eases the souls that follow you.” Fai moved aside as Kurogane tended the fire, sitting up on his knees and facing him as he came back around, only seeing him and not the darkness that tried to swallow them. “None of them blame you.” Tender fingers stroke over the fringes of the Ninja’s face. Fai could no more speak to spirits than he could see them, but there was a corporal sense that most mages had and Fai was no stranger to it, just unpracticed with it. “They know what’s inside you, just as I do.” He leaned forward and rested his forehead against Kurogane’s. Blonde locks blended into black his hands came down so that his arms could wrap loosely around his neck. 

"Is that sort of thing supposed to make me feel better?" Kurogane wanted to believe Fai's words, but how could he? Fai wasn't the one who saw those people's faces as he slaughtered them. He didn't hear the screams, or feel the blood splatter in his face through the slits in his helmet. He didn't have to scrub the feeling from his hands until they were raw.

“No,” Fai whispered softly as he hugged him. “I can’t make you forgive yourself.”

"Do I need to?"

"I can't make that choice for you. I'm not that good of person."

Kurogane sighed and bowed his head a bit. He said nothing, though, preferring to just hold Fai for the moment. 

“But whatever you choose to do, I’ll be right beside you. Like always.” Fai kissed the top of his head.

"Aa..." Kurogane murmured, staying like that for a few more moments. When he calmed himself, he carefully pulled back so he could look at Fai. "I can't give myself away right now...Not while this is happening, or he might do what he did the other night, and I can't lie to him again."

Fai blinked at that. He hated to admit that it stung to hear it and he opened his mouth to speak but knew there would be no point in bringing up last night. Not right now. So he lowered his eyes and turned his body back to face the fire, his back against the other man's chest. "I understand."

"No, you don't." Kurogane shook his head. "That stuff out there? It feeds on negative emotions. It's feeding on the villagers' fear right now. If I let too much show, it'll feed on me, and that will be bad for everyone in this house." He sighed. "Only because it's out there now. It has nothing to do with anything else."

"Only you?" 

"Me before anyone else because of that thing..."

"Mine?"

"Not unless I bring attention to us first. Right now there is more negative energy in the village than there is here..."

Fai closed his eyes, realizing for the first time what he had done or more likely what he'd almost done. He was negligent, good intentions aside. He hadn't known the rules, but that wasn't an excuse. "I'm sorry..." He nuzzled the arm again. "Forgive me." If it was negative emotions that creature fed upon, making Kurogane think about those things would only put them in danger.

"I'm not upset." It was the truth, at least. Kurogane was steeling himself to protect them from the darkness. He looked down at Fai and shook his head. "It feels like the worst of it is over. Look." He nodded to the fire, which was burning brighter than it had been earlier. A faint glow also seemed to be coming from the window, where the moon was once again regaining its strength to shine. "Which means we should get as much rest as possible. They'll come after sundown tomorrow..."

The blonde head nodded sullenly in reply, but still hid behind one of Kurogane's large arms.

"So we can stay here, or we can go back to the bed."

"The bed. You're skin is cold. You should get under the covers. And I doubt you'd get proper rest sitting here like that."

"Probably not." Kurogane looked at Fai before he carefully stood and helped the other man to his feet. "And you should get under as many blankets as you can. That one isn't doing it for you is it?"

"Well, no. I'm naked under here." Fai smiled just a little, forcing a bit of levity into the room. "So the bed would be a preferred choice.

Kurogane nodded and started towards the bed. Anything was better than sitting there and wallowing in self pity. "Then you should hurry hm?"

There was the sound of bare feet slapping gently against stone then hopping off it. The stone maintained the chill and Fai all but pounced into the bed. He couldn't remember the last time he actually felt that cold. At least not to the point of it being unbearable and lingering. "Can I use a bit of magic now?" The lump of blanket spoke.

"Is it necessary?" Kurogane moved to the wardrobe and grabbed the furred cloaks, dumping them on top of the bed. He then sat on the edge of the bed and pulled his boots off, but he kept his pants on and slid under the blanket as well.

"Necessary? No. But I can make the blankets warm." Fai reached his hand out for Kurogane to take so he could feel the cold that still slinked back into his body.

Kurogane sighed when he felt Fai's hand, so he pulled the mage closer. "I'm not any warmer, but at least we can warm up together."

Fai couldn't help it and he chuckled a little, this did seem a little better than using magic. "Well I don't know about that, my body is still recovering from the last time we heated up the bed."

"Oh? Are you thinking something beyond sharing body heat? Pervert."

"Are you surprised?" Fai shifted so he could lay the length of his body up against him. "But my body has its limitations."

"Not surprised, but I wasn't planning on doing anything anyway, so your body's limitations are fine. Pervert-Mage." 

"Wanton-ninja."

"You brought it up, idiot. Not me." Kurogane shook his head and closed his eyes. "Get some sleep. You're going to need it, especially if your body is at its limit."

"I'll be fine. But rest is always a good idea." Fai laid his head down and nuzzled into the ninja's chest like he had earlier in the night, but even as sleep teased the edges of his consciousness he wondered how either of them would actually obtain it.


	10. Defenses

Kurogane’s arms remained wrapped around Fai, even as the first, weak rays of pink morning light started to filter through the gap in the curtains. The night had been long, or at least it felt that way, after that initial wave of darkness. And even now, he knew he should be sleeping. He knew he should be getting as much rest as possible for the inevitable invasion. The darkness was always a precursor to that demonic army he had been forced to be a part of.

And up until last night, he had always been summoned during that wave. He had always been placed right at the front line to wreak as much havoc as possible, his armor an attempt to blend in with those unnatural creatures that would rip defenseless villagers and armed soldiers limb from limb. But he was always bait: the one human in an army of monsters. The weakest link. The target. And the human armies went after him, flies in a web, devoured by the evil that surrounded them.

This time he wasn’t going to be the bait but the target. Those villagers were going to be casualties of a fight they had nothing to do with. And why? Because some sick, twisted man couldn’t handle the land fighting back, so he decided to crush it once and for all? For whatever reason, this manor and the surrounding lands had remained mostly untouched. Kurogane had always just assumed it was because this place was worthless, but the more he thought about it, the more that didn’t fit. 

After all, the summoner had destroyed all of the standing stones he came across, except for the circle at the edge of these lands. 

He watched the light brighten and the shadows shift as the sun rose beyond the line of trees that surrounded the house. He sighed a little and held the mage a little closer in his arms, and he waited.

“Mmph.” The mage stirred, responding to the movement. The grip the ninja had on him was almost too tight, but only just a touch uncomfortable, so Fai wouldn’t complain. However, he did wake up. Blue eyes fluttered open and as they looked up they glittered with amusement, catching the light of the breaking dawn, and they echoed the sentiment with a smile. Sex and sleep tossed hair stoop up on either side of his face and still looking aggravatingly styled, even as the longer strands were caught up on his lips.

“Morning.” He whispered.

Kurogane let go of him and lifted a hand to pull those strands of hair from his lips. "Yes, it is." He said, his voice soft as to not betray any of the dread he was feeling. He didn't want to worry Fai too much. Not yet anyway.

Fai chased those fingers with his lips as they attempted to groom him. Last night had changed him, he could feel it inside of himself. A calm had entered not just his body, but he felt it deeper than that. He had finally accepted a long neglected part of himself and he had given it freely to another being and in exchange he had been given access to a part of Kurogane that was his. Granted it wasn’t exclusive to him, but Fai was a patient man. “Should we get breakfast going?"

"You should wash up. I'll go check on breakfast." Kurogane grunted a little and nudged Fai to move enough so he could slide out of the blankets. "Unless you want the kids to see you like that?"

“Something wrong with how I look?” Fai said with an arched expression.

"Not for me, but you look thoroughly sexed." 

"Only because you have it on the brain." Fai countered as he got up on his knees and leaned around to kiss the tip of Kurogane's nose in a gesture that he knew would be aggravatingly sweet to the other man. He wouldn't deny that he had a point. The evidence of their activities last night could be found in random, and not so random parts of his body. "Though I don't think water is going to wash away all of it." His fingers slid over one kiss bruised part of his flesh while his eyes flashed wickedly. 

"No, but at the very least, you should wash what you can." Kurogane looked down at the other man. "I'll check on the kids and breakfast." He rested his hand on Fai's head for a moment and gently twisted his fingers into his hair. It was a quick thing, but he hoped it was enough to keep Fai from arguing with him. Not that he gave him much of a chance as he walked to his wardrobe and pulled on a pair of pants. At least it was much warmer now than it had been last night.

"Mmmhmmm." He purred at the gentle petting before he followed Kurogane's lead and parted ways from the bed before walking to the bath, naked and unfazed. 

Fai didn't even need to touch the water's placid surface to gauge the fact that it was unwelcoming and frigid. Fai felt like he had finally warmed up after last night, and he would be damned if he lost it now, so as if without a thought he swirled his finger and the air in the room shifted ever so slightly. Blue and silver tendrils of light danced for a second at the tip of his finger before sliding down into the bath. With the time it would take a person to blink, steam had risen up from water, and a satisfied smirk curled the mage's lips. It felt good to use magic freely again. He was getting a little tired of being bound.

Kurogane glanced at him out of the corner of his eye as he pulled a tunic on. He supposed he should have said something about Fai's use of magic, but would it really matter? The darkness had already come. The summoner was already targeting this land. There was no need to hide that anymore. Then again, the mage had given his magic to those spirits, so maybe that horrible man wouldn't be able to tell the difference? Though he was half expecting that familiar burn at that branded spot as some form of retaliation, but when it never came, he pulled his boots on and headed to the door. "Come down when you're done."

"Nm." There was a soft response from a very satisfied mage. Fai didn't fear using his magic. Not anymore, and not for something as mundane as heating up the bath. He felt completely at ease with it and he had a feeling he knew why. The sprites were fighting; they had been fighting all night. This patch of earth was saturated with magic. His magic. It would be like trying to find a drop of water in an ocean. Fai was enveloped in his own camouflage, and that was an unexpected bonus.

He finished his bath quickly, dressed, and made his way into the kitchen as he was finishing tying up the last string on neck of his tunic.

By the time Fai walked into the kitchen, Kurogane was sitting at the table with Syaoran as William stirred something in a pot on the fire. The ninja looked up at the mage and nodded once, satisfied that he no longer looked tousled. "I'm going to try to evacuate the village before sundown." He said. 

"We're going too." William said, his voice seeming just a bit distant. "It's not safe in the house without you here, My Lord." 

Kurogane shrugged. He knew there was no use in arguing. Syaoran had made that much clear only moments before Fai arrived when he insisted they try to save as many of the villagers as possible.

Fai sat down, smiling softly at the two boys as he sat backwards on a chair with a piece of hard crusted bread in his hand. He was thankful the others managed to weather the night as well as they had, if not better. He had been about to ask the location of their fluffy white mascot before he tiny creature poked its head out from Syaoran's vest. Good everyone was here. 

"I can place shields around the boarders of the village. It should allow for more time. Do we know which direction he will come in from?"

"The North." Kurogane grunted a little. "Almost exactly opposite of those stones. That's where we should send the villagers. It's as safe a place as any." 

Fai nodded his head. "I'll head over there, set up shield against the first onslaught. It might not be much, but it should buy us time." He folded his arms over the back of his chair, his eyes already out of focus as he visualized the boundary lay out.

Kurogane watched him a moment before sighing. "If you think it'll help." 

"I'm sure it'll help." Syaoran smiled a little, clearly trying to keep the mood light, though it didn't seem possible with the way Kurogane tensed. 

"Do you think it won't?" Fai's back straightened. "It's all I can do at the moment, without knowing what we're really up against."

"I don't know if it will or won't. No one has ever used magic against these things before." Kurogane shook his head. "I don't doubt you."

"What can you tell us about him?" Fai laid his chin over his crossed arms before he amended. "If anything." He didn't want Kurogane to be hurt like he had been the other night, but Fai was playing on field where he didn't know the rules and there was a severe penalty for asking.

"Nothing." Kurogane shook his head. "Even though I want to."

Fai leaned back against the edge of the table, his hands wrapping around the thick wooden spokes of the chair. There was a touch of frustration in his posture, and it was easy to tell he didn't care for the current situation. Fai was the type of fighter that could read his opponent, plan, adapt, and build a strategy. All he had to go on with this dark magician was that he was wicked, cruel, and mad. "Then," He started. "Do we fight fire with fire?" Fai wasn't wicked and he certainly wasn't cruel, but madness? That was relative. 

"If we need to." Kurogane regarded the mage carefully. "We have the advantage, at least. They know how I physically fight, but I haven't gone all out at all. They also have no idea that you exist, let alone what you're capable of. With that much we should at least be able to hold them off, if not do some serious damage." 

That was an interesting statement. Fai didn't even know what he was capable of. The last time he lost control he was only at half his power and he nearly destroyed the whole of infinity by just the power of his own misery. The rest of his power, sealed within a curse, forced a world out of existence. What Fai could do, what Fai knew he able to do, was terrifying enough. But he wasn't the only magically gifted asset the group had. Syaoran was a direct descendant of Clow Reed himself. A man that was powerful enough to create life by means of a thought. Worlds, creatures, space, and time, they were play things to that man. Given enough time the boy across from him could become a worthy heir to that namesake. Fai's power was a fluke. From his knowledge neither of his parents were particularly gifted, and his grandfather was barely a wink of power in comparison. Syaoran had the brains, the strength, the control, and the pedigree. 

"What about you?" He asked the boy softly, giving him a side long glance. 

Syaoran looked between the two older men, but when Fai asked him the question, he let his gaze rest on him. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to be out there." He said quietly and shook his head. "William and I can help evacuate the villagers, but, after last night..." He shifted and cut himself off, as if suddenly becoming incredibly uncomfortable.

Kurogane arched a brow. "Did something happen to you last night?"

"No." Syaoran sighed. "And that's why I don't think it's a good idea. I was in the library, reading from that book we found." He glanced at William. "And he came in to bring me some food, right around when that darkness came. The candles started to flicker, but then they stopped and everything was normal."

Fai's eyes flickered over to Kurogane for an explanation.

"How the fuck am I supposed to know?" Kurogane snorted when Fai looked at him. 

William placed bowls of stew in front of each of them, exchanging a glance with Syaoran. "You should tell them what we found..."

Syaoran grimaced, but he nodded. "You remember that portrait I showed you? Well..." He bowed his head. "I found some handwritten pages also tucked into the book, though it was weird because when I found the portrait, there was nothing else in there." The boy kept his head down. "But they were written by the Sakura of this world...About an illness and her death." 

"Wait.. what?" Fai's eyes tore away from the silent argument he was having with the ninja and focused on the younger magician. 

"Sakura was dying, and she wrote to this world's Syaoran asking him to bury her in the middle of the circle stones, so her power could be used to protect the land." The boy grimaced and looked right at Fai. "She asked him to protect their child, and to take care of this land as king, to protect the people, but it doesn't say anything else."

Kurogane's fists clenched. "That can mean one of two things. Either that asshole killed the kid..."

"Or the summoner is this world’s Syaoran." The boy shook his head. "Which...may be why the darkness didn't affect me. It was confused."

Fai's eyes closed slowly. "It doesn't change anything." As he spoke his words were deliberate and laden with the whispers of choices they couldn't come back from. Fai couldn't feel pity, he couldn't allow himself to feel that. "You can't come back from what he's done. He bound himself through blood magic. He's sold his soul to demons. If this man was at one point the Syaoran of this world, there's nothing left of the soul that linked the spirits." Fai flashed back to the image he had been showing of the blood crystal. The way it cried out to him, the way it made his desires twist and his forgotten hunger grow. And that was just the power of an image. Fai turned his head away from the group, his skin a shade paler than it had been moment before. "There's no going back." 

Kurogane unclenched his fists and forced himself to relax before he reached out and rested his flesh hand on Fai's arm. "If that's the case, then I agree that you should evacuate the villagers." He glanced at Syaoran. "If the darkness didn't come near you, the demons won't, either." 

The boy nodded and poked at his stew. "I also want to go to those stones and see them for myself. I know we passed them on the way here, but I haven't been up close with them the way Faisan has." 

"Fine. Eat then. We're all going to need the energy." Kurogane kept his hand on Fai's arm. "Especially you."

White fingers wrapped around those that braced his arm. He was thankful for their presence. "Thank you." He whispered for a number of things, but most of all for that gentle touch. 

Fai stood up and corrected his position in the chair. He wanted to say something to the boy, but there were no words he could come up with. So he sat and allowed silence and scraping spoons to fill the room.

"It's ok." Syaoran said after several minutes of eating in silence. "I'm okay. It's not me that did those things. And I can't continue to feel guilt for everything every world's version of me does. All I can do is try to help, or try to stop the bad things." He looked at Fai and offered him a slight smile. "It's difficult to think about it, that one little thing could set someone off on such a dangerous path, but I can at least hope that I will never have to come to that crossroads, right?"

"That's the story for anyone. The strength of the heart will shape one's future. If it breaks it can be rebuilt just like bone and be stronger than it was before. It won't save the heart from breaking again, but it will keep it from doing it in the same way." Fai pushed a few things around in his bowl before he ate a little more. "But if the heart shatters, there may be nothing left to salvage. We all face that risk, with the prospect of repair seeming too overwhelming. It’s always about choices. He made the choice to continue on without the chance to heal and made it easier for something else to fill that void. " 

The boy nodded a little and looked back at the food in his bowl, poking at it with the spoon before eating a little more. 

Kurogane watched the exchange, lips curving into a frown. There was nothing he could say at the moment, but that was mostly because he was in a unique position. He couldn't be the one to go against the sorcerer even though he really wanted to. So he finished his food and stood. "I'll get things ready."

"Aa. I'll leave for the northern territory then." Fai finished the last of his meal and stood up, walking past Syaoran and ruffling his hair. "Be safe and protect William." He left the room with those gentle commands before catching up to Kurogane. He stepped up behind him, his hands grabbing the hem of his shirt as his forehead rested between his shoulder blades.

Kurogane stopped and let the mage rest against his back, remaining silent and allowing to have the time he needed to work it all out.

"I'll see you in just a few hours, right?" The mage didn't move.

"I'm going with you, idiot." The ninja snorted. "I would have to threaten the villagers to get them to evacuate, so the kids volunteering to do it saved me that at least."

"Eh?" Those blue eyes flashed with curiosity. "You're coming with me?"

"I'm not leaving you to deal with an army of demons on your own. They'll arrive at sundown, but I wasn't planning on risking it."

"Aww." He nuzzled his back with his cheek, unable to stop the smile on his lips. "You do care."

"Did you think I didn't?" Kurogane turned his head to glance at Fai over his shoulder. 

"I think you care more than you know, but are adorable when you show it." That cat's grin widened.

"How could I care more than I know I care?" Kurogane snorted.

"Because, there's no way to really know how much you care about a person, until they aren't there anymore." Fai slipped around him to take the lead as they walked, his hands folded behind his back. "So you'll never know how much you care because I'll always be here."

Kurogane watched the other man walk ahead of him, and he frowned, not moving to catch up to him. "After everything I've done for you, you think I don't know how much I care? Or do you just enjoy being a flippant ass? You'll always be here, though you almost left how many times? But I don't know how I feel?"

Fai blinked, but smiled as he bowed his head, eyes closed. "Aa, I you're right. I suppose then, I'm the clueless one." 

"So you have no idea how much you care? Even though I'm stuck to that guy?"

Fai sighed and turned at his heel. His eyes opened and for a brief moment they shone like hard gems in the dim light. "I'll kill him. That's how you know. I don't plan to ever learn the answer to that question. I won't lose you. It's as simple as that. What I would do for you pales anything this man has already done. When I said before that you keep me decent, I wasn't joking." Fai tapped the side of his head. "I'm killing him, because I know, if this is Syaoran... I know what he would want me to do."

Kurogane clenched his fists a little and forced himself to calm down, breathing evenly until some of that anger subsided. "I never said I didn't know." He said with a sigh. "I just don't understand why you think so much about things that might not ever happen instead of focusing on what's happening now." He shook his head a little and walked past him. "And I don't understand why you thought I wouldn't know how I felt about something that has already happened. Just because I forced you to live and I cut off my arm for you doesn't mean I hadn't lost you."

"So that if it does happen, I'm ready for it. There's nothing written in stone. If there was I would have killed you, the boy, and Mokona a long time ago. My future has always been something designed by someone else. Written in another's hand." Fai walked beside Kurogane. "My past was manipulated in ways that I'm still trying to sort out. I think of the future because, quiet honestly, I've never had one. I think of the what if's because I don't know what's ahead and that can also be terrifying for someone like me. Even my life now, is owed to you forcing you will upon my own. I'm grateful for it, don't think I'm not. But you didn't have your feelings sorted out for me then." There was a soft laugh. "You still don't. Not because you don't wish it, but because someone else is in there. Someone else has control of what is the most important part of you."

Kurogane shook his head again. "No one but you has control of those important parts of me." He stopped again and turned to look at the other man. "My feelings then and my feelings now are two separate things, but the fact that I know how feel is unchanged. Besides..." He leaned in a little and narrowed his eyes just enough to look determined, but not angry. "It's because I know how it feels to lose you that I'm going with you to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's also the reason why I won't think about what could happen. I did a lot of damage to myself when I thought about the what ifs before you landed here. I don't want you to do the same damage to yourself." 

"But Kurosama, I already am." Fai wasn't really sure what Kurogane saw when he looked at him. He never learned the answer to that, and frankly he was always afraid that he would be a disappointment to him in either cause. There were times the man treated him like he were some divine presence with a fierce desire to protect him from anything that could defile him, even himself. Other times he treated him as though if he were to though him out to the wolves he would return unscathed, and unbeaten. 

"You're not." Kurogane shook his head a little and straightened himself up, taking Fai's hand and walking again, this time out to the stables so they could head out past the village. "You've seen the wounds on my back." He said, letting go of his hand in order to put his armor on, since William had already gotten it ready for him. "You never saw the ones that healed. Those were always much worse."

Fai moved around him, helping adjust the armor and tie it up. "The ones that healed?"

"There were times I got reckless on purpose because I thought I'd never see you again." Kurogane shook his head. "Or times I purposely hurt myself to see if it would stay that way, but it never did. The curse always healed anything done by anyone but him." He looked at Fai. "I don't want you to ever feel the way I felt. So I won't leave you, and I won't let you leave me."

Fai's expression never wavered until the end where he managed a smile. His hand reaching up to Kurogane's face. "Then we agree."

Kurogane nodded a little. "I guess we do."

Fai slid that hand down one side of the plated armor. His fingers testing for any areas that needed adjusting, when satisfied he looked back up at Kurogane's face. "What about me. I can't really march out there in this. Cotton tunics don't really strike fear into the hearts of demons.”

Kurogane nodded to some chainmail on the table. "It's heavy, but it should still be light enough for you to move in, at least compared to this." He nodded to his own plate armor.

Fai looked over at the chainmail. It wasn’t crude so much as not the type he was used to. It would be heavy on his frame, it would slow him down and that could be dangerous when half your physical defense depended on speed. Fai didn’t hold illusions about himself physically. He could take a beating, sure, but pain tolerance wasn’t the same has physical limits. An idea brightened his eyes and he stepped over to the armor. It was dusty, and a touch neglected. A hints of patina dulling the metal where the links hooked together. 

“Give me a moment,” He said as he lifted the armor, the weight causing a strain in his arm. This certainly wouldn’t do. With his other hand he waved a finger over the vest a white blue glow started from the tips of his fingers then broke into a thousand tiny threads of light. The light started to weave into the armor wrapping around each link and turning the aged steal into a shimmering silver until the whole suit took on a new form that glimmered with bright white light and bands of blue fire.

Kurogane looked at Fai as he did his magic, and it took all his willpower not to bark out some sarcastic comment about how he could have just made his own armor if this wasn't good, but instead he just grunted and walked over to his horse, making sure the beast was ready for anything that would come at them.

Fai couldn’t help the grin on his face as the light of his spell died down, leaving him with the improved armor that weighed no more than a feather. He slipped it on over his head, somehow making even that look like a fashion statement as he cinched a belt around his waist. “Ready Kurosama.” He crooned as he hooked a simple dirk against his side, and a long bow across his shoulder. Kurogane really had himself a tiny arsenal in this barn.

"You're the one who was taking longer." Kurogane muttered as he looked over his shoulder at the mage. But before he said another word, he mounted and held his hand out to the other man, waiting for him to take it, so he could pull him up onto the steed.

Fai took up the man’s hand and with a grace that seemed preternatural he leaped up to the back of the horse. He didn’t need Kurogane’s assistance, but the gesture was sincere and his touch warm. Fai knew he would have been an ass for not accepting. However, once he was on he wasn’t sure how to situate himself. Kurogane’s armor wasn’t meant to ever have someone get close enough for an embrace and if he tried he had a legitimate fear of puncture wounds down the front of his torso and would probably bleed to death before they got to the northern border. So he gripped the back of the saddle, fingers gripping the curved rise. The position wasn’t ideal but Fai would manage.

Kurogane looked over his shoulder at him and grinned. "Sorry. You could always ride in front." He chuckled, but before Fai could reply he turned forward and started off to their destination. With any luck, they would get there well before the wave hit.

“No thank you, I like my kidneys intact.” Fai really hated that armor.

Kurogane grinned as he guided the horse, not as quickly as he might have alone, but quickly enough. He remained silent as they passed the outskirts of the village, noting that Syaoran and William were already gathering people and pointing in the direction of those standing stones. 

"They'll make it." Came the mage's voice to the back of Kurogane's ear.

"I know." He managed, keeping his gaze ahead as they wove through twisted, gnarled trees. The darkness had already taken its toll on the land, and there was only more to come.

They had been riding for a bit, the village not even a speck behind him and there was little more than a scatting of abandoned farm houses and unkempt land as far as the eye could see. A riverbed with its dried up veins scarred the land as if a claw had wreaked the earth. Fai’s eyes narrowed as he looked out into the distance. The untouched snow and its shimmering purity belying the force that was pressing forward. He could feel them, the demons summoned by the warlock. It was that repelling nauseating force he’d known since the day he stepped foot into the world. They were coming, pushing the natural magic of this world back and leaving their taint behind. If the mage focused it could feel it on his skin like a hot summer wind. 

“How much longer?” Tension strained his tone.

"Not much." Kurogane slowed their pace before he came to a complete stop. "Here," he said, glancing over his shoulder at Fai as if to indicate he should dismount first. 

There was no time wasted as the mage vaulted from the horse, he could see the horde in the distance as he landed, crunching the snow below his feet. There was a brief second for a pause and the air around the two of them shifted as if something had just been taken from it, a palatable vacuum of intent to not just kill but rot and decay all that it touched. 

Fai took in a sharp breath and his hands slapped together before he spread his arms wide as if waiting to embrace the pack in the distance. In that very moment irradiance light sparked up from the earth stretching as high into the sky as it was spreading to the east and west. Blue lightening crackled and shuddered against the nearly invisible panes of magical force. 

Kurogane dismounted and pulled his sword from the sheath, holding it ready as the wave came closer, the demons taking shape beyond black specks in the distance. He remained ready, watching the crackling energy burst into flares of blue light as the first demon hit the shield. The body speeding into the snow below and hissing as if invisible flames were being extinguished. It was enough to make the demons hesitate, but then they came again. One after another. Sacrificial lambs. A relentless assault of bodies, until the shield cracked under the repeated hits. 

Fai’s magic had always been a force for destruction, but over time and birthed by creativity Fai had managed to create defensive magic out of offensive power. The shield itself was a concentrated wave of power that was held in place. Originally the spell was a pulse of energy that would spread out in a crescent wave of force, but a long time ago Fai played with the idea of causing two pulses at once going against each other at equal strengths. The power would spread out and up but be stationary. It required a level of focus that Fai had mastered over the years and it was no simple task, at least not for the area he was trying to cover, and as the bodies of twisted, mangled, and brimstone scent corpses piled up into a wall of their own Fai felt sweat beading on his brow. He couldn’t hold this for much longer, and he looked over at Kurogane, he would wait for his signal.

"Now." The demons had been whittled down to a more manageable number, but there was no way Kurogane could justify making Fai hold this up any longer, and so he trusted the mage, leaping towards that throng as the shield came down, slicing through twisted bodies as if they were nothing more than paper.

Fai never stumbled as the shield broke, and at once he was alongside Kurogane, backed as close to him as he dared, mindful of the ninja’s armor. It felt right to be where he was, the two had an effortless dance and a trust that become only evident within sweeping strokes and thrusting stabs among the din of battle. Anything that made it alive past Kurogane would find its body crumbling to the ground, putrid black blood staining the snow.

Kurogane couldn't help but feel relieved as they fell into their familiar battle dance. Each swing and arc of their blades doing more damage than the foes around them. But there was something off. And as Kurogane slammed his blade into a cluster of demons, expelling them outward with a technique none of the creatures had seen, he realized what it was. "They're not all here..." He shouted back at Fai. "These aren't all of them!" That could only mean one thing. The village. The kids were in danger. 

"Damn!" Fai cursed as he sliced his dagger down the spine of a demon, the motion jerking against the groves of each vertebrae. Blood sprayed against his face, blacking his hair as he stepped below it and kicked it off the dirk. "We need to go! The kid can handle himself, but he doesn't know where..."

Kurogane nodded and whistled, his horse charging in and knocking several straggling creatures out of the way. The ninja didn't hesitate as he grabbed Fai and pulled him up on the horse with him, his sword still out, cutting through hell-forged flesh and sinew as he spurred the steed towards the village.

Fai steadied himself into a standing position on the back of the mount. In one swift motion he pulled the bow from his back and slid three arrows out of the quiver, fanning them out across the riser. As he lined up the shot he blew whispers down shaft, as his fingers daftly held the nocks in place. A fine glittering dust traveled down to the point of the arrow head where the sparked to life with potential energy. Fai let the arrows fly at a calculated arch, each one hitting three separate points where the left over demons were the thickest, as soon as contact was made explosions shook the earth under the horses feet, causing Fai to barely keep his footing.

Kurogane hissed as dirt and rocks flew up around them, but he pushed onwards, his eyes narrowing as the village came into view. "Fuck." He cursed and urged the horse to move just that much faster. The closer they came to the village, the more dread filled him. There were no demons to be found, but there was blood everywhere. He could hear the wails of children as he passed through the first line of houses. 

He barely stopped the horse before he all but launched himself off it once he reached the village square. Demon bodies scattered the cobblestone, and women and children remained huddled in their doorways, their husbands brandishing whatever household item they could weaponize: brooms, chairs, anything.

Syaoran stood in the middle of the square, black ichor dripping down his clothing like thick sludge. He was panting, and when his eyes met Kurogane's they widened. 

"Was anyone killed?" Kurogane ran up to the boy, resting his hands on his shoulders. 

"No..." Syaoran shook his head. "No one was killed, but..." He glanced around the square, looking at Fai before he brought his gaze back to the taller man in front of him. "But they took William..."


	11. Curse

Fai stepped into the center of the village square, a child wrapped securely about his neck as his arm cradled her body close to his own in a gesture of comfort. The girl was weak from terror, and her voice so hoarse, all she could do was whimper softly against the mage’s shoulder. She had been found below the rancid bleeding corpse of one of Syaoran’s demonic victims, and Fai had to pry its claws away from her trembling form. He didn’t want to think about what that creature had in store for her after it carried her away and back to some godforsaken den. The mage shook his head of any further thoughts as the child’s parents rushed forward to take her from him, and when he looked up again his face was a hard, even mask, and anger blazed behind his eyes.

He caught up to the others just as Syaoran was finished explaining the details of William’s kidnapping, and the line of Fai’s jaw tightened.

Kurogane was still looking at Syaoran, his hands still on his shoulders, and that was honestly the only thing preventing him from squeezing. The boy was already hurt, clearly pained by what had happened, so he didn't want to add any physical pain to that.

"Did they go the way they came?" He asked, doing his best to keep his voice steady and calm. 

"Yes." Syaoran lifted his hand and pointed in a direction that only confirmed Kurogane's suspicions: the demons had taken William towards the castle where that vile sorcerer worked his magic. 

Kurogane let go of Syaoran and patted his shoulders once. "I want you to stay here and tend to the villagers. They're in shock, and they could use some care. Do you think you can handle that?" When the boy nodded, he patted his shoulders once more and dropped his arms, turning and walking towards his horse. "I'll get him back."

"Ah... wait." Before the boy could walk past him, Fai leaned down, grabbed a clean edge to his tunic and brushed it against Syaoran's face, wiping the blood and splattered meat off his cheeks and away from his eyes. 

"Faisan?" The boy looked up, confused but not unwelcoming to the tender touch. Fai's movements were stiff, and lacking the usual fluidity. It took only a few moments to gauge the magician. Rage boiled below that calm smile. "I'm okay."

"I know." His arm came up and laid over the top of the boy's head as if he were using him as a center of balance, but then his head came to rest against crook of his elbow. The boy stood motionless and visibly saw the tension leave the mage's posture. "Thankfully." 

"You better go, or he'll leave without you." 

"I know that too." The mage sighed, smoothing the boy's hair once more, not caring if the motion stained his hand with more of that black ooze. "Take care, we'll be back soon."

"Aa." Syaoran nodded as Fai left his side to follow the ninja. 

Kurogane looked over his shoulder as he heard the footsteps behind him. He was waiting, but only because he knew that if he didn't, he'd never hear the end of it. "I don't want you to go there."

"But I am." Fai's voice was low and level. "Do you plan on stopping me?" 

"Even if I planned to, I couldn't. Not when you look like that." Kurogane shook his head and mounted the horse, looking down at him. 

"I want to make sure he knows exactly what our purpose is." Fai mounted up the back of the horse, not waiting for assistance.

"I'm sure he knows." Kurogane shook his head and urged the horse forward. "He probably wouldn't have taken William otherwise."

"Will he hurt him?"

"I don't know if he will. Is he capable of it? Of course. But I don't know why he'd take him other than to get to us. He's never taken anyone before, aside from me. Maybe he'll try to curse him, too."

Fai clenched the back of the saddle with bruising force. "Let’s go then."

Kurogane grunted and pushed the horse to move faster, his hands clenched around the reins. He knew there was nothing he could say right now, so he didn't. And as the scenery whizzed by, he frowned at how death got increasingly prominent. Trees stood, hollow and almost charred from the darkness. There were no animals in sight, and even the snow seemed to take on more of a gray hue. In the distance, the castle loomed, the clouds above tinted with a hint of red. Dark figures flew about the battlements, and he snorted. "He's waiting."

"I would hate to disappoint him." Fai clicked his tongue against his teeth as he looked around. It was a landscape of living death. Twisted and dark, void of anything that could possibly be pleasant. The way the castle stood against the darkened background reminded Fai of the gnarled spikes that came out of Kurogane's armor and the twisted torture device that was his armament. This was it, and Fai felt a shiver of anticipation travel down his spine. 

The larger man grunted a little in acknowledgement, but once they neared the castle gates, he slowed the horse and dismounted, patting the beast gently on the snout before looking at Fai. "We'll have to fight our way in." He shrugged and drew his sword, pointing to the partially raised portcullis. 

Fai's eyes closed when his feet settled on the ground. Once his body made contact with the earth, he felt his stomach lurch, his hand going to his mouth to keep its contents at bay. Thick miasma lifted from the ground, twisting and coiling around him. It wanted him, he could feel its pull as much as he could its repulsion. He had to take a second, just one, to steel himself against that repellent force. 

His back straightened and he looked forward with determination. "Okay." His own magic swirled to life around him, pushing back against the vapors and negative magical energies that steeped in the land

Kurogane ducked under the portcullis and glanced back at Fai before he straightened up and walked down the central path, cutting down demons as he walked, though many of the balked at the sight of Fai's magic. "Word travels fast, apparently." He chuckled as he swung his blade in front of himself and cut several attacking demons before they could come into contact with his armor.

“Of course Steelsama. I’m pretty much an idol.” Fai smirked over his shoulder at him as a crescent force of light spread out from his body. Tiny blue bolts of lightning crackled and arched against the demons, its touch sending them convulsing to the ground, leaving twitching corpses in their wake.

With a nod, Kurogane continued to clear the way to the building, pushing open the doors once they arrived and looking in with a frown. The throne room was just beyond the next set of doors, so this room should have been filled with vile creatures, but it was completely empty. That only made him tense up even more. "Something's not right..." He looked back at the mage and shook his head. "Stay here."

Fai started in protest, but took one look into Kurogane's eyes and nodded his head while he sent one more bolt of energy out into the last demonic body.

Kurogane nodded and walked to the door, not even bothering with ceremony as he slashed the tapestries and kicked one of those doors open, anger practically radiating from his body. Just as he suspected, the sorcerer was sitting on his crumbling throne, much in the same way he had been when the ninja last visited him, cloaked, shriveled, holding that same red orb. This time, there was no dead body at his feet, but there was William, curled up, still breathing, but covered in blood. 

Kurogane's eyes narrowed. "You bastard."

"Oh, look, my puppet is worried about his houseboy..." The sorcerer's raspy and guttural voice sounded a little weaker than earlier. There was less bite to it, but Kurogane knew not to underestimate the man. "I couldn't touch him. That's the blood of my pets." He spit.

"Then give him back."

"No. He is mine." There was a creak, and the man stood. "Though you clearly came to take him from me, since you brought your friend with you." There was a hiss. "I should have killed you when I had the chance."

"Well, now I'm going to kill you." The ninja lifted his sword and pointed it at him, but he hissed when that brand burned and he fell to his knees, panting.

The laugh that echoed through the room was unsettling. William curled up and tried to cover his ears, as if that would protect him from the pain he was surely feeling.

The double doors slammed open their boom echoing off the walls and reverberating back to Fai’s ears, which was a thankful break from the cackle of the creature who stood before the broken throne room. Fai’s eyes narrowed as he looked around the room. The throne room was a hollow shrine to torment and pain. Bodies of varying levels of decay decorated the walls as though they were nothing more than nightmarish tapestries. . All of them had faces that were forever frozen in their death masks of agony. These people did not die well. 

He never looked at the man who hunched in his cloak. Instead his focus was on the boy and the man who were curled around themselves on the floor, and that is where he walked, almost ignoring the summoner all together. 

"Grab William and go." Kurogane turned his head and looked at Fai, grimacing a bit as the pain tore through him. But when he spoke, there was another twisted laugh and he grunted, doubling over himself again.

Fai leaned down and touched the top of Kurogane's head. "You already know my answer to that, don't you?"

The sorcerer continued to laugh even as he walked towards the others, the orb in his hand glowing. "You should listen to the bait, you know." He snarled.

"Bait?" Fai's hand still laid upon the ninja's hair as one brow arched up, while cool eyes finally looked up at the summoner.

"Mmm. That's all he is." The twisted man flashed a toothy grin, but the hood covered too much of his face for it to be anything more than barely visible. As he took another step, the orb glowed brighter, and he laughed once more. 

Kurogane hissed a little as blood dripped out of the corner of his mouth. "GO!"

From where he knelt power erupted from the floor in the form of panes of dancing silvery blue light. Daft fingers wrote in the air, calling the power into it before it settled down upon the huddled from of the ninja. 

Fai stood up, the blue of his eyes glowing hotly with rage. He wasn't going to come into this place ill prepared. If this man could hurt Kurogane from a distance, he wasn't so much of an idiot to think that he wouldn't use cowardly tricks when they were face to face. So he had something waiting in the wing. 

The magical panes in closed in upon Kurogane, placing him within a personal barrier, a universe all his own. The idea had come to him when he watched Tomoyo use a Keikai by the sacred tree to protect it from Syaoran and Seishirou’s battle. Nothing in, nothing out. The concept was the same, but the scale was much smaller.

"We're going to end this." The mage hissed, straightening his back.

"Oh. Interesting." The shrouded man shook his head and stopped in his movement, the orb's glow flickering until it went out. An inhuman sound escaped his throat, and he stepped back. However, his movement was quicker than should be expected of someone seemingly so frail. And he crouched over the huddled boy on the floor, his free hand coming out and grabbing his hair, pulling his head up roughly, so that William let out a pained whimper. "You may have taken away one of my toys, for now..." He snarled the words and let go of the boy's hair, only to slide a nail along his cheek, a thin line of red forming. "But that just means I can concentrate on this one instead."

Fai took a step forward, and the floor under his foot cracked and sunk away from him as if the castle itself was repelled by him. "A coward on top of everything else. I would like to say I'm shocked, but people like you tend to never fight their own fights. Too worried about getting themselves hurt when it's easier just to hurt others." Blue lightning arched to the ceiling and down the walls, breaking the chains of every last corpse letting them fall to the floor in unceremonial heaps.

"I wonder if you always speak of things you do not know." The sorcerer shook his head. "Or perhaps you just like destroying everything around you in the name of some righteous morality. Ones like you are much worse. Saying good things to do the opposite. Liars." He ran a crooked finger against William's bloodied cheek. "Like snakes gaining trust until it's time to strike."

"Morality?" A dry laugh left Fai's lips, but his eyes narrowed as he watched the blood well and drip on the boy's face. "It seems we both like talking about things we know nothing about." Fai stopped moving forward, and tapped his chin as if to think. 

"I know a few things though. One. You have horrible taste in decorative aesthetics." He raised a finger for each point. "Two. You are relying on an outside source for power so you have little to no power yourself. Three. You hurt people I care about." There was an echoed tapping sound of a foot hitting the marble floor before Fai had dashed forward and held that twisted smaller frame by the throat, his eyes flashed as a force field pulsed and pushed the man back and out of his now open hand. The mage stood strategically between the summoner and the boy. "Four. I'll finish you, here."

The sorcerer slid back with the force of the wave, but he quickly put his bloodied hand up and countered it with his own pulse wave of energy, so he was only pushed back several feet. His head was bowed as he stabled himself, but the movement pushed the hood back from his head. Brown hair, dirty from ash and matted from blood, fell in clumps in front of his face, hiding it from view. "Well, I'll concede on that third point." He said. "But not on the others. Especially not that last one." He stood himself straight, no longer hunched and fragile looking like before. And even the mess in his hair started to straighten itself out. "Especially not the last one." 

The man lifted his head enough them for the other mage to see his face. The same face as their companion in the village, only older and much more tired-looking. But his eyes were the bright, unclouded eyes of innocent youth. "And you won't take my son from me, will you?"

Fai had been ready, a micro-nova of power swelling up in his hands as he watched the man regain his footing. He wasn't going to allow him to gain any ground on them until he saw that face. Deep determined brown eyes, boyish cheeks, and a mop of unruly brown hair. It was a face he knew, a voice he knew. He thought he'd be ready for it, but no matter of preparation or foresight could have prevented the way his heart jounced up to his throat when that voice, always so gentle, pleaded with him. 

Fai's greatest weakness had always been his kindness, he'd been told that since as far back as he could remember. It made him unable to take action against his own adopted father and left him paralyzed now. 

"Syaoran..." The power his hand fizzed out with an audible hiss, and the room became a quite tomb once more.

"You won't." The sorcerer kept his gaze steady on the mage in front of him, though the orb in his hand began to glow again. It had only been a moment, but with the fizzle of that power, the barrier blocking him from his puppet also faded. He smiled at the blond, but that smile widened into a toothy grin, one full of malice and hate. One that shouldn't be possible on such a face. "I won't let you take my child from me." 

A strong hand closed around Fai's arm and yanked him back. Kurogane's face was twisted into some semblance of pain and helplessness, even as his body moved and shoved Fai roughly to the floor. 

"So while I reunite with Sakura, why don't you play with your useless lover here, hm?" That chilling laughter echoed through the room once more as the sorcerer walked back to William, waving his free hand slightly, his power causing the boy's body to rise from the floor.

Air passed violently from the mage's lungs, preventing even a gagged note of surprise to leave his lips. The world spun and the sickening crack of his skull against the floor still echoed in his ears. 

“Ku…” He started, trying to shake the confusion out of his head, before he looked up at the hulking figure of his lover. The man’s hands were still tense and clutched, almost claw like as they gripped the air. Black dried blood provided a demonic canvas as those crimson eyes bore down on him. 

"Ku..kurosama?" Fai whispered with no small effort.

"I told you to take him and go." Kurogane's voice was strained, as if it took all of his willpower to choke out those few words. And it did, really, since he was no longer in control of himself. His body shook a little. He tried to fight the control, but he couldn't. All he could do was stare at Fai even as his own body betrayed him and picked up that twisted sword that he had dropped moments before.

Fai's eyes followed the man's gaze to the sword before darting back to Kurogane's face. He tried to think, he tried to call up something beside the image of his lover disemboweling him with hell crafted sword and leaving them both here to rot with the other human husks. But the force his head had taken upon the impact left him unable to focus his will, thus making him magically mute. Instinct took over along with a desire to live, so he raised a shaking finger into the air and a small speck of light formed at the edge of his finger. The pain came blindingly swift the back of his head caused that little spark to die.

He dropped his arm uselessly to the side of his body, spent and pained, his vision blurring the image of Kurogane’s form, and then something crawled around his legs. The miasma wrapped invisible tendrils about his body, no longer fearing the power he couldn’t cast, and he could feel its burn around his waist and it's constriction wrap around his neck, he choked back a moan of pain.

Kurogane's fingers clenched around the hilt of the blade. He took slow steps towards Fai, his eyes locked on him, and he opened his mouth to try to say something, but no words came out. When he stopped in front of him, he stood there for a moment, the blade at his side, but then he lifted it above his head, ready to strike.

Strained eyes looked up, finally able to focus on the image before him. It was Kurogane. Every part the man he loved, and the man he would do anything for. Could he really let him end things like this? Did he have a choice? The world had stopped spinning, but it was too late for him to conjure up anything that would help, the ninja was too close and that sword would be in his gut before he could get a spell off. He closed his eyes and turned his head to the side before one small phrase left his lips. "It's okay Youou... It's okay..."

The sword clattered to the ground and Kurogane was on his knees in front of the mage, panting, blood coming from his mouth. That word was enough to allow him to push back against the curse enough to keep him from hurting the person he cared about. But now he was in agony. Each cell in his body seemed to be crying out, screaming in torment, and those sounds escaped in a low, painful groan.

The orb in the sorcerer's hand shattered, eliciting a string of vile words that could have melted the stone of the walls. He was halfway through his preparations: the circle was drawn on the ground, but the star wasn't complete. The candles were set, but not lit. The knife rested on his throne, waiting, but he could not use it until everything was ready. And so when he saw his puppet on the floor, he moved quickly, scratching out those lines.

At the clatter Fai's head turned back to Kurogane. "Y..youou?" His eyes darted about rapidly as he put the pieces together, and while the pain in his head was still a aggregating throb, he would be able to work, Kurogane had just given the opening he needed. Magic tingled back to life in his body, chasing away the miasma that held him. Slowly he stood up, ignoring any lingering wooziness with nothing more than a stumble. 

His hand touched the ninja's arm. "Can you move?"

"No." Kurogane managed to grunt the word through groans of pain. Blood dripped out of his mouth and splattered on the stone beneath him. 

Fai's brows furrowed slightly as he turned to face the summoner, his face a hardened, expressionless mask. "Syaorankun." He took a step forward. "Stop this. It's too late for you. I won't lie about that, but it's not too late for this world, or your son." He took a few more steps, his own power forcing the fine hairs on back of his neck and arms to stand on end as it gathered to him. 

The summoner ignored the words, moving about with a speed that was unnatural as he finished scratching out the last of those angled lines. He muttered as he moved, but the words were unintelligible.

"Syaoran!" Fai yelled his voice echoing through the cavernous room, his eyes narrowing for a second, and as if willed by the motion, a blade of pure wind cut through the air as he watched him start to light the first of several ceremonial candles. The blade cut through their centers and crushed what was left on the stands as they each fell with a dull crack to the floor. "It's over."

"No...No!" There was an inhuman howl that came out of the summoner's mouth. He whipped around and glared at the mage with bright, fiery red eyes, rage seeming to cause his whole frame to glow. "You ruined it!" He snarled at Fai and grabbed the dagger from the throne, clutching the hilt as he lunged towards him. "You killed her!"

Fai's head shook with pity as he stepped aside, an after image following behind himself receiving the dagger's thrust and rippling away like a reflection on a watery surface. His real body slipped around to the blood mage's back, and a pair of thin but iron wrought arms wrapped around him. One arm was pressed tight against Syaoran’s throat, its hand gripping the other arms bicep and using it for leverage. "She's already dead, she's been dead for a long long time." Fai closed his eyes as if fighting back a memory of his own. "Let it go, Syaorankun. This only makes her soul suffer." His voice was calm, patient. 

The sorcerer stiffened in that hold, but he spoke, his voice a low, guttural growl. "You know nothing. Just because I look like your boy doesn't mean you know anything." He hissed and his hand moved, stabbing back behind him with that dagger, laughing when he felt the resistance of the blade as it pierced flesh. "She wasn't dead until you killed her. She was waiting for me to wake her up from her sleep, and you killed her."

Fai bit his cheek against the yelp of pain as he felt the flesh of his thigh tear against Syaoran's blade, and his arms tightened on reflex, pulling the writhing figure back. He was now cutting off the supply of air the man's lungs. Something cruel and dark spoke into his ear. Telling him to just do it. To just crush that windpipe and be done with it. This Syaoran was not built like the one they knew, this one was paler, and more frail. It would be easy. Just a press of his bicep and a tightening of his grip and the man would suffocate in his arms leaving the world with just a taste of what he had given it. 

"She won't be waiting for you." His arm tightened as he whispered through his teeth. "She won't wake up." His muscles tensed. "She's already gone." Then his arms lighted up and in one agile motion he pulled the dagger from his thigh and struck the boy through the heart. "But I'll send you to her..." He whispered once more, his voice degrees warmer as the two of them stumbled back. Fai landed painfully on his legs with the blood mage over his lap and cradled by one arm.

The body fell limp, the heart so corrupt by the blood magic that life perished instantly. And so the miasma in the room weakened until the air was crisp, and fresh, and there was no trace of that evil energy except for the bloodstains on the walls and floors, and the piles of bones. 

Kurogane let out a sharp cry then, the demonic armor that had once been protecting his flesh crumbled and fell to dust on the floor. And with it, the blood of the curse. It oozed from the brand and hissed as it hit the stone, evaporating into red smoke that faded as it rose from the ground. But he still couldn't move, even as he felt the flesh on his back change. The scars from dozens of whippings filling in and leaving only those wounds he arrived with, still fresh as if he had just stepped out of the portal from the previous world.

Even at the sounds of the ninja's cries the mage never looked away from Syaoran's face. The countenance of death had freed it from the cruelty of life. He's features had softened and staring back at him was the image of the boy he knew. Maybe a little older, but it was still him, and Fai's eyes focused on the gentle curve of his lips. A soft peaceful smile that took the place of that hateful sneer. 

"Syaorankun.." The mage whispered as the body crumbled and shifted to dust as time does what it will do to all users of magic eventually, and claimed him quickly as though making up for what it had allowed. After a pregnant minute Fai looked up. 

"Kurosama?”

Kurogane pushed himself up onto his knees, each movement slow, as if just getting used to using his body again. He looked over at the mage. "You're bleeding..." His voice was no longer laced with pain, just concern for the other man. 

"Huh?" Fai replied numbly before he felt the burning pain thump in his leg. "I..." He looked down at it, carefully pushing the dust filled cloak away from himself. Blood soaked through his slacks, but it was dark and not moving fast. "He missed anything important." Fai sighed. "It won't kill me. Just hurt." 

"Still." The larger man pushed himself up to his feet, ripping his shirt as he walked to the other man. "Let's at least bandage it." He looked down at him and held the strips of cloth out to him.

Fai took the bandages, but his hand lingered over Kurogane's. "What about you?" Concern filled those bright blue eyes as he brought up his other hand to cradle the one offered to him.

"I'm fine." Kurogane shook his head. "I feel like none of it ever happened."

A relieved sigh escaped the mage as he let his hands drop with the shredded fabric between his fists. "Check on William. Will you? I'll patch myself up over here." 

Kurogane nodded and walked to the boy laying on the floor. He crouched, resting his hand on his shoulder and leaning in so he could see if he was all right. When the boy let out a soft groan, the ninja sighed in relief. "Hey...Kid."

William turned his head and looked up at the other man. He blinked once before he sat up and looked around. "Is this...?"

"Yes." Kurogane stood again and looked down at him. "Can you stand?"

William nodded and pushed himself to his feet. He wobbled a little, but caught himself before Kurogane could help steady him. "So he's dead?"

"Yes." 

"I see." William looked around the room. "...Someone needs to clean up here."

Fai chuckled through a wince as he tied off a bandage. "At this point I'd say it would be better to just rebuild."

"Then I'm going to stay here." William walked to the throne and rested his hand on it, sighing. "There's no point in me going back anyway, right?" He looked over his shoulder at them.

Kurogane shrugged and walked over to Fai. "That's up to you." 

Fai nodded his head as he stood up instantly leaning his weight against Kurogane. "You are a prince. This world will need you, and it will look up to you for guidance." He limped forward and lifted the boy's head to his by his chin. His eyes searched his before he smiled. "And they will be right to do so."

"How can I be a prince if the king is dead?" William looked up at him and blinked. "I don't know if I can do it, but I'll try. You two should go back to Syaoran and leave this world."

Kurogane snorted and looked away from them.

"You can, you will. I'm a wizard. I know these things." Fai winked. From his pocket he pulled a small blue gem. It had seemed like forever a go he'd given something similar to Syaoran back in the fake world of Telam. "If you need anything, just ask. This will connect to me no matter where I am." Fai ruffled the boy's hair gently before he turned and leaned back again the other man to relieve pressure off his leg.

William looked down at the gem, then up at the mage and nodded once. 

Kurogane did his best to keep his face neutral throughout the exchange, but he frowned a bit when Fai put his weight back on him. "Idiot." He muttered before he picked the other man up, one arm at his back, the other under his legs as he turned to walk out of the room. 

"Kurosama!!" Fai's arms flailed fruitlessly as he blushed faintly, his fists hitting Kurogane in the chest with little more force than a mosquito's bite.

"Do you want me to drop you?" Kurogane walked out of the throne room and through the main hall. He wasn't even phased as he carried Fai back out through the courtyard and under the portcullis, where the horse was waiting. He set the other man onto the beast before he hopped up behind him, careful of his injured leg as he made sure the mage was more comfortable. 

"Wouldn't be the first time." Fai pouted even as he shifted his own weight to make it easier for the other man to adjust him, and even more steam was taken out of the response as his head rested against that broad, protective chest.

"I can if you really want." Kurogane snorted and set the horse in motion, taking it slow so as to not agitate Fai's leg too much. The ground around the castle was still dark, but it was more of a gray than the twisted black it had been earlier. The sky was brighter, and the snow was clearer as they distanced themselves from that building. The trees already seemed to be straightening themselves out from the twisted state, no longer crumpled from the dark influence.

Fai opened his eyes and he felt a smile curve his lips. He felt it, something sparked inside of him as they rode through the countryside. He saw it in the landscape, and he felt it in the air. The power he had gifted the wisps was being used to push life back into this world and as it touched upon him, his skin tingled, and he welcomed the sensation like that first scent of spring after a harsh winter. It rid him of the last hints of nausea that had been plaguing him since first fell into this world.

By the time they arrived in the village, even the people looked healthier and happier. Pallid skin seemed to be renewed as they looked out their windows and doorways to watch Kurogane and Fai arrive. Several children were running around Syaoran in the village square, singing and laughing: something Kurogane had never seen since entering this realm.

"Like it never happened," Fai whispered as he sat up.

Syaoran pulled himself away from the kids and walked over to the horse, the concern on his face evident as he looked at the blood on Fai's pants. "It's okay now?" He asked, then reached up to help Fai off the horse.

The mage dismounted to one leg with the boy's help before he nodded. "Yeah. It's over. William stayed behind to do what he could from the palace."

The boy nodded and looked up at Kurogane as the larger man dismounted after the mage. "What about your leg?"

"The idiot got himself stabbed." Kurogane grunted and shook his head slightly, taking the reins of the horse and leading the animal to one of the village men, speaking lowly to him before handing that leather strap over. He walked back to the others, but looked up at the sky, watching the way the clouds seemed to shimmer in the sunlight. "Are we able to leave?"

"It's not like I walked into the knife." Fai pouted again and hobbled behind the man with one arm around Syaoran's shoulders to keep him steady. He blinked up at the direction Kurogane was looking then back to where he noticed Mokona's head peek out. 

"Mekyo!" The creature squeaked and hopped into the air. 

"Looks like we don't get a break this time." Fai pulled Syaoran in closer and wrapped his other arm tight around Kurogane's. "You.. don't let go. Okay?" Lights started to swirl around them and the looks of startled villagers began to fade.

"I don't plan on it." The ninja said in those last moments before everything was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for sticking with us until the end! <3
> 
> Please look forward to our next story: Half-Life due out late fall-early-winter.


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